Don't Trust Me
by momothelemur
Summary: The path of love never ran smoothly. Zuko found that out when he saw Aang and Katara together on the balcony. Now, with Toph's help, he sets out to win Katara's heart, unaware that her heart is guarded by dangerous, odd and downright stupid obstacles.
1. No More To Say

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

* * *

Katara was breathing heavily as she managed to bind an unstable Azula to the metal grate beneath them.

She was soaking, her hair was dishevelled and her heart threatened to beat out of her chest after all the effort it had taken to restrain the armed and insanely dangerous Fire Princess. She took a step back, wary that Azula could escape. She wouldn't put it past her.

Then a faint moan caught her ears and her heart skipped a beat, before completely plummeting.

Zuko.

He'd taken Azula's lightning for her. Why did he do it? It didn't matter now, she just had to make sure he was okay. She ran over to him, her legs so weak that they could barely carry her.

_Please don't die._

She found a way to run though. She had to.

_Please don't die._

She reached him and collapsed down onto her knees. The rough ground tore at her leggings, but she felt nothing. For a moment, she could only stare in horror at the raw burn on Zuko's chest as he clenched and unclenched his fists, sucking in air through his gritted teeth as his face contorted in agony.

"No, no, no, no," Katara whispered, her voice shaking as she turned him onto his back with quivering hands. "You've going to be fine," she said, raising her voice slightly so that Zuko could hear her.

She ignored the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes and took the water out of her pouch, setting it down onto his chest wound. As horrifying flashbacks of cradling a dead Aang in her arms assaulted her mind, Katara tried to focus on the present, and put all of her energy into healing Zuko.

Relief washed over her as the water glowed brightly and Zuko's scowl relaxed into a peaceful expression. Katara held her breath until Zuko opened his eyes, and then couldn't control her joy that he was alive. The tears that had formed now flowed freely down her face as she smiled.

"Thank you, Katara," Zuko murmured, his voice weak.

She gave a short, shaky laugh. "I think _I_ should be the one thanking _you_." She helped him into an upright sitting position and resisted throwing her arms around him. "Why did you do it?"

Zuko paused, pretending that he was trying to steady his already stable breathing. That was the million gold piece question. Would this finally be the moment he admitted how he felt towards her? If she rejected him, he could always pretend he had been delirious or something, pretend it was a rare side-effect of being healed. So rare that in the history of healing it had only ever happened to him.

But what if she did reject him?

Agni, he didn't think he could live with that. He'd rather face a hundred rounds with Azula that risk Katara being too uncomfortable to be around him anymore. That would hurt worse than a shot of lightning to the chest. That would be like a shot of lightning to the heart.

"Because I didn't want you to die," he settled for answering. It was as truthful as he could be.

"Well, I don't want _you_ to die, so no more jumping in front of oncoming lightning," Katara answered with a small grin. She cast an uncertain glance backwards, towards the source of the wailing that had begun. "I…she's trapped."

Zuko nodded, his chest heavy with the knowledge that he had just had the perfect opportunity to tell Katara his feelings and he had let it drift by. Deflated, he allowed Katara to help him up and leant on her slightly as she led him to where his little sister was chained to a grate, screaming and crying hysterically.

He watched as Azula thrashed about, tears rolling down her cheeks. He felt his own eyes sting but couldn't look away. He noted Katara's arm on his shoulder, anchoring him to the world that he didn't understand, and his pain and regret welcomed a new, stabilising emotion: gratefulness.

He was grateful that his Uncle had taken him in when his father cast him out. He was grateful he had at least gotten to spend a few short years with his mother before she disappeared. He was grateful he had found redemption. He was grateful he had found Katara

* * *

_After the Comet_

* * *

Zuko struggled putting his robe on. He didn't know if it was through his still painful injury, his irritation that Katara was completely oblivious that he liked her, or his nerves about the upcoming speech he had to give. He had never been one for speeches. That had always been Azula's forte. Zuko would've preferred to write a nice letter informing everyone that the war was officially over. But then, that wouldn't be the best way to begin his new reign as Fire Lord.

"You need some help with that?"

Zuko smiled sadly as Mai came up behind him. He knew what he was going to have to do, and it filled him with more fear than public speaking. Generally, the public didn't have an incredible aim and carry sharp knives with them.

"Mai, you're okay," he said, stating the obvious while trying not to dwell on what would happen once he delivered his news. "They let you out of prison?"

Mai shrugged as she helped him with his robe. "My uncle pulled some strings," she answered, her voice the monotonous drawl that Zuko found he hadn't missed at all. "And it doesn't hurt when the new Fire Lord's your boyfriend."

She straightened his robe and stepped in closer, before tilting her head upwards and kissing him. Zuko kissed her back automatically for a moment before breaking away and shaking his head.

"Mai…"

"What?" She paused, noted his uncomfortable expression and scoffed. "Are you breaking up with me again?"

She folded her arms and glared at him, her eyes piercing his.

"I just…" Again, Zuko wished he could hide behind a letter. That would've been so much easier. "I've changed. I'm not the same person that I was when we were together."

He didn't tell her the real reason. He didn't mention that, during his time with the Avatar's friends - with Katara - he barely gave Mai a second thought. It was an awful thing to admit, but it was the truth. Mai hadn't been there when Zuko was fighting for his life and protecting Katara's, like she hadn't been there to comfort him when his sister finally released her fragile grip on sanity. This wasn't Mai's fault, of course, but Zuko couldn't change his feelings.

"That's it?" Mai asked, her voice deadly calm. "I find that hard to believe." She took a step towards Zuko, her eyes flashing. "Is there someone else?"

"There's no one else," Zuko replied, frustration entering his tone as he realized just how true this was. "It just won't work with us anymore."

A flicker of hurt passed over Mai's stoic face, and Zuko was immediately sorry that he had snapped. He still liked Mai, and was fully prepared to be her friend if she wanted. Just nothing more than that.

"Did I do something wrong?"

Zuko looked up in surprise to see that Mai's eyes were averted. He had never heard her speak in such a small voice before.

"No!" he almost fell over himself to assure her. "This doesn't have anything to do with you. I…my life is just complicated right now with Azula and becoming Fire Lord and I-"

"Don't want me anymore," Mai finished for him incorrectly, turning her back on him. "Okay."

Zuko didn't have a clue what to do. It wasn't as though he'd ever been in this situation before. Usually when he was upsetting girls (mainly Katara) it was involved with making life-changing decisions. But this was just awkward.

"Mai, you will always be my friend."

This turned out to be the worst thing to say in a situation like this.

Mai whipped around, her eyes blazing. "I don't want to be _just_ your friend!" she scowled.

Zuko stepped forward tentatively. When Mai didn't move away, he took another step towards her before gently embracing her. She stiffened, before slowly putting her arms around his neck and hugging him back.

In the doorway, a throat cleared and Zuko sprang away from Mai.

Katara stood just inside the room, watching Zuko with an odd expression on her face.

"Coronation time," she managed after a moment of silence, before turning on her heel and leaving swiftly. "Sorry I interrupted."

Zuko was tempted to call after her, to offer to walk her to his Coronation, anything just to be with her a little bit longer. But he had to sort out the issue with Mai first.

"Mai, you're one of my oldest friends," he began, his stomach a jumble of nerves as he realized how soon his Coronation actually was, "and I'm sorry if that's not good enough for you, but that's all we can be from now on." His stomach churned as he glanced towards the balcony. "I need to go but I'm here to talk. You know, if you want to. Which you probably won't. Which is okay."

_Shut up, _Zuko advised himself.

Taking his own advice, Zuko sighed, took one last look at the girl he was leaving behind for the fourth time in his life and left to meet his destiny.

* * *

_The Jasmine Dragon in Ba Sing Se, three days later._

* * *

No one had asked why Mai hadn't joined the group when they had gone back to Ba Sing Se. Zuko was glad of it; he didn't want to face their questions or pitying looks when he told them their relationship just hadn't worked out.

When he wasn't out making speeches, Zuko would sit quietly even when he was surrounded by his friends, speaking only when spoken to and not adding anything to their conversations. The only time he would speak animatedly was when Katara talked to him. His mood would lift and he would laugh and smile. Reflecting on it afterwards, he would curse himself for being so obvious, but there was really nothing he could do about it. It was an embarrassment, really, but at least no one could tease him for it. He supposed that was the one, and only, good thing about not actually being with Katara.

On the third day, his cowardice was beginning to annoy him. If he admitted everything to Katara and she rejected him then what was the worst that could happen? It wasn't as though war would break out again. The world wouldn't end. His pride would suffer a blow and that was about it. At least he would finally know.

As the group around him - minus Aang, who was stood on the balcony outside, brooding - doubted Sokka's artistic ability, Zuko gathered up his courage to ask Katara for a moment alone.

He had just drawn breath to speak when she got up and glided out onto the balcony, her beautiful mahogany hair tumbling down the back of the light green dress she wore. She stopped when she reached Aang, and Zuko stood up. He would have to interrupt their conversation while he still had the nerve. He excused himself under his breath and made his way out to the balcony.

"I wouldn't," Toph murmured warningly as he walked past. He paid her no heed and continued.

He took a step out onto the balcony and stopped cold as he watched Aang and Katara embrace intimately. With a smile on her face that tore Zuko apart, Katara slowly leant in and kissed Aang full on the lips.

Zuko couldn't help but stare for a moment. Then he uprooted his feet from where they had been seemingly frozen to the floor and mechanically walked away.

He had thought it was only his pride that would suffer from a rejection from Katara, but with every step his whole body physically hurt. Anger, pain, jealously and confusion flashed up in his mind, joining to create one awful ache.

Zuko barely registered where he was going, let alone that anyone was trying to speak to him. He wasn't even aware that Toph had been following him until he had exited the back of the tea shop into the slightly sparse garden.

He clenched his fists as tears burned in his eyes. He shut them tightly, refusing to cry over a girl.

"I told you not to go out there," Toph muttered from behind him.

"Leave me alone."

"I want to ask you something."

"Not now, Toph."

Zuko was trying to keep his patience, but he noticed thin tendrils of smoke escape from his nostrils every time he breathed out, a sure sign that he was losing his temper. If he could just be left alone to vent...but no, apparently that was too much to ask.

"I could tell she was going to kiss him," Toph continued quietly, driving the knife further into Zuko. "Her heartbeat went all weird. Kind of like a heart beats quicker when a person sees someone they love."

Zuko closed his eyes again, preventing the tears from slipping down his cheeks. Not here. He wished Toph would shut up.

"Only, it wasn't exactly like that. Katara's heart only beats like that for one person, and it isn't Aang."

Zuko opened his eyes and slowly turned around. Toph was giving him her version of a pointed look - her eyes faced in his direction and her eyebrows were raised.

Zuko felt his fists unfurl and his anger slowly drain away. If Toph was messing with him…but she wouldn't, would she? She was sarcastic and sharp, but she wasn't cruel.

"If I told you that you could have a chance with Katara, would you take it?"

"Yes," Zuko answered immediately.

A small smile appeared on Toph's lips. "You don't even know what you'd have to do to get that chance."

"It doesn't matter," Zuko replied. "A chance is better than what I've got now."

"And what's that?"

Zuko considered his answer before turning back to the garden. "Nothing."

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hello everyone, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Writing my last oneshot reminded me of how much I enjoyed writing fanfic (especially Zutara :D) so here we go. Sixth Form (like the UK version of Grades 11 and 12 in American education) is still my number one priority, of course, but I'll update as soon as I can.**

**Anyway, sorry about the long chapter, there was a lot to fit in. I tried to keep it consistent with the episode as much as I could, so about three lines of this chapter is from the episode 'Avatar Aang'**

**Kataang will be kept to a minimum and Taang will either be hinted at or actually happen…opinions would be great, I've not decided yet.**

**Reviews are appreciated, thank you for reading and hope you're having a good week so far! :)**

**- Momo**


	2. Flowers In Mahogany Hair

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

* * *

"You're interested, then?" Toph pressed.

"Yes," Zuko told her, facing her again. Something had flickered across his mind and it worried him. "But what I don't get is why you are."

"What?"

"I'm not stupid, Toph," Zuko frowned. "Aang and Katara are two of your best friends, it doesn't make sense for you to want to split them up. Unless, of course, there's something in it for you."

Toph's mouth opened as though she was offended. "Zuzu, I'm hurt. All I want is for you two crazy kids to finally - no, you're right, there's something in it for me."

"Couldn't even pretend to be selfless, huh?"

"Nope," Toph answered, unashamed.

"Well, I appreciate your honesty," Zuko muttered, heading for a bench which had been cast in shadows by the grand tree overhead. He sat down with a sigh. "What's in it for you?"

"The pleasure of seeing you doing something other than brooding all day," Toph answered smartly.

"I don't _brood_," Zuko told her, outraged. "And I need the truth if this is going to work."

"Fine, the truth is that you brood. Constantly."

Zuko scowled and stood up. This was going nowhere fast, and if Toph was just going to stand around poking fun at him all day, he might as well just cut his losses and leave now.

"Zuko, wait," Toph said, holding up her hand as she sensed he was about to walk away. Her tone had changed to something more serious and her sightless eyes were directed towards the ground. "You don't need to know my reasons."

"Yes, I do," Zuko insisted. "You know why I'm doing it, it's only fair that I know your reasons too. There's got to something that you'd gain from splitting Aang and Katara up. I'd get Katara, but what would you…" he stopped talking and his eyebrow raised in surprise as Toph's reason registered. "Oh. I'd get Katara, and you'd get Aang."

"If you tell anyone…" Toph let her threat linger, although the usual bite in her warning was missing.

"I won't," Zuko promised quickly. "I would never." He shook his head in disbelief. "The _Avatar_? Really?"

"Hey, he's good enough for Sugar Queen," Toph spat back. "Or have you forgotten the reason we're here?"

Chastised, Zuko nodded. "Right. Sorry." He made a mental note to remember how touchy girls were. "So, what do we do?"

"At the moment, nothing," Toph answered. "Just treat Katara like you've always treated her."

"Indifferently?"

"Okay then, treat her like you've treated her these past couple of weeks."

Zuko was confused. "Less indifferently?"

"Like you're crazy about her," Toph corrected with a smirk.

"It's that obvious?" Zuko asked, his heart sinking.

"Only to me." Toph waved a hand in front of her eyes. "Considering I'm blind, I see a whole lot more than the others do. Plus I've got heartbeats to go off, and your heart does this little," Toph grinned evilly, "_dance_ when you see Katara. It's hilarious, actually."

Zuko ignored this jibe, although he knew it'd come back to haunt him. "And Katara?"

"When she sees you? Not so much a dance as a skip," Toph shrugged. As though she could see Zuko's crestfallen expression, she hastily added, "Of course, it's more than what happens when she sees Aang."

"Then why's she with him, up there, right now?" Zuko asked miserably.

"Snap out of it, Zuzu," Toph groaned, completely unsympathetic. "No one finds self-pity attractive. I'm going back up there to mock Sokka's artwork some more. You coming?"

"No," Zuko answered, falling back onto the shady wooden bench. "I'll see you later. And don't call me that."

Toph shrugged in a 'suit yourself' way, and left without another word. Zuko's internal clock was telling him that nightfall was well on its way, but he didn't feel like going back to the others. His shoes scuffed the ground as he stood up after deciding instead on another course of action.

Making sure he was well away from anything particularly flammable - difficult considering he was surrounded by trees and grass - he placed his palms together, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Nothing focused his thoughts quite like meditation. He slowly broke his palms away from each other, creating a small sphere of fire in the center of each. Unaffected by the breeze that whispered through the trees, the fire shrank and grew with each breath Zuko took.

It was times like these that Zuko felt truly connected with everything and, for a short time, at peace. So he was annoyed when Toph's faint voice broke through his concentration:

"Yeah, he's down there."

Zuko could hear footsteps descending the stone stairwell that led into the garden and, turning around, cracked one eye open. He fully intended to send away the person who had unwittingly interrupted him, until he saw that it was Katara. He hurriedly opened both eyes and extinguished the dying flames in his palm.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Katara asked once she'd reached the grassy part of the garden. Her eyes lingered on Zuko for a moment before they wandered away to her surroundings. "Huh. I didn't know there was a garden here."

"Yeah. Uncle thought that we could open it up to The Jasmine Dragon customers before…" Zuko stopped himself and looked away, ashamed.

"Before everything that happened," Katara supplemented, also uncomfortable. "But you're back from the Fire Nation now, so does that mean that you and Iroh be running the tea shop?"

Zuko smiled. "Well, no, I have a nation to run."

Katara blushed and laughed. "Right," she said, embarrassed. "Can't believe I just asked that."

"It's okay, 'Fire Lord Zuko' will take some getting used to." Zuko looked around him, then up at the pink-streaked sky as the sun set. "I think Uncle will stay here, though. He deserves an uncomplicated life."

"So do you," Katara murmured. "But I guess now you're Fire Lord, it's just going to get busier." She glanced at him, then dropped her gaze to the grass. "I'm sure you and Mai will cope."

Zuko sighed. He'd avoided the topic so far, but telling Katara anything other than that he was no longer with Mai would be an outright lie, and Zuko didn't feel right about lying to her.

"I broke up with Mai."

Katara frowned, her eyes betraying her confusion.

"But I saw you together before your Coronation," she said in an almost accusing tone.

"She was upset." Zuko shrugged. "We've been friends for a long time, so I comforted her."

"But I…" Katara trailed off, her creased brow gradually smoothing. She sighed and walked past Zuko to sit on the bench, her dress trailing behind her as she went. She stared down at her clasped hands. "I thought you were still together. I'm sorry."

"What for?" Zuko asked, trying and failing to keep the bitterness from his tone. "Don't feel bad for me just because everyone else has paired off. Sokka and Suki, you and Aang-"

Katara's wide eyes flew upwards towards Zuko's. He held her gaze evenly.

"You know about that, then," she said quietly, focusing back on her hands.

"Yeah." Zuko gritted his teeth. "I think it's great."

"You do?"

Was it Zuko's hope speaking, or was there actual disappointment in her voice?

"Sure." He faced away. "It's not like there's anyone else you'd rather be with."

"Zuko, if I'd have known about you and Mai earlier…" Katara's strong voice lost its nerve as Zuko looked at her. "I wouldn't have been so obvious with Aang."

"Are you dating?"

Katara shrugged awkwardly. "We haven't really talked about it yet."

A blossom fell from the grand tree behind the bench. It went largely ignored, until the wind picked up and suddenly cherry blossoms rained down on them both.

"I should get back," Katara said after a few moments of awkward silence. She stood up, unable to look at him.

"Wait," Zuko said as she passed him. She paused and turned ever so slightly towards him. He raised a hesitant hand and gently lifted a stray blossom from her hair. It almost grazed her face as he brought it down and presented it to her. It filled the small space between them and Katara found that her breath had caught in her throat. She raised her eyes to his and held them there for a moment as he looked back.

"Katara-"

"I should go," she interrupted in a whisper.

She tore her eyes from his and left quickly, leaving him standing there with a blossom in his hand. But instead of feeling rejected, Zuko began to smile. He didn't know that much about girls, and what he did know wouldn't fit into one of the small teacups The Jasmine Dragon owned. But Katara had seemed flustered when she realized how close she and Zuko had gotten, uncomfortable when talking about Aang and a little annoyed when Zuko had given her his blessing on her new relationship. So surely all that had to count for something. His hope that she would see him as more than a friend couldn't be completely unfounded. At least, he hoped not.

* * *

Toph went to bed that night in deep speculation. Sugar Queen was with Twinkletoes, but liked Zuzu (or Koko, as she'd have to call him to his face; he wasn't escaping without some form of nickname) whereas Twinkletoes was as he'd always been: completely infatuated with Sugar Queen. Meanwhile she, Toph, friends with all of the above, was trying to plot a way to tear one relationship apart and build two new ones.

It was no wonder Toph didn't like getting involved in politics: she could barely keep up with the intricate relationships of the people she spent all her time with.

She didn't think it would be particularly difficult to accomplish her task. Katara obviously liked Zuko. Her quickly beating heart betrayed that. But she'd do what she had always done with Aang: protect him from harm.

It was either down to Zuko to convince Katara to be selfish for once, or up to Toph to make Aang see her as more than just an Earthbending teacher. She wasn't up for a lifetime of love and commitment - she was twelve, after all - but a little attention definitely wouldn't be bad. Maybe she could enlist Iroh's help. For an old guy, he was pretty cool, and he seemed to like the idea of his nephew and Katara together.

The only problem was how to…

Toph grinned as an idea, a brilliant idea, struck her. She congratulated herself as she closed her eyes and nestled into her bedcovers. She'd have to tell Zuko as soon as she saw him the next day.

* * *

"That's a stupid idea."

Toph bristled as Zuko quickly shot down her plan the morning after. Her grip tightened on the patterned china cup - not, of course, that she could tell. The cup could've been painted bright pink with gold spots and she wouldn't have been able to tell the difference…mainly because she didn't actually know what colors looked like - and she scowled.

Zuko's face fell. He didn't like Angry Toph, and especially didn't want to be in the same room alone with her. He glanced at the door, hoping that his uncle would wake up or that the others would join them at the tea shop. As always, luck wasn't on his side.

"I just meant…it'll take all my energy to talk myself up to Katara, I don't know if I'll have the time to talk you up to Aang. Not that you need talking up," he added hastily.

"If I tell Katara how wonderful you are, she'll start to see it for herself," Toph explained. "If you tell Aang the extent of what makes me great - and you could be there for awhile, I'm pretty awesome - then maybe he'll start to realize that it's all true."

Zuko sipped his tea thoughtfully. It could work. He'd have to at least give it a chance, considering Toph had woken him up just past sunrise to tell him all about her 'wonderful plan.' Why she'd walked to The Jasmine Dragon by herself instead of waiting for a more sensible time, he didn't know. Why she'd woken him up by throwing rocks at his window shouting 'rise and shine, Koko!' he didn't know. Why she was now calling him Koko, he didn't know, but he was grateful that it wasn't Zuzu anymore. That reminded him of Azula, and Azula reminded him of everything he had lost.

"Alright," he said finally. "I'll give it a shot."

Toph leaned back in her chair, satisfied. "Great. Now get me another tea."

Zuko frowned. "Toph, I'm the Fire Lord now."

"Oh yeah. Get me another tea, _Your Highness_."

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hello, hope you all enjoyed the second chapter. Not much action going on, but next chapter is when the fun and games begin (:**

**Thank you very much for your reviews last chapter, they gave me a real boost after a bit of a bad week (everyone at Sixth Form appears to have a modern day version of the Plague, or so you'd think from all the moaning that's going on. Damn British weather).**

**Hope you all have a good week,**

**- Momo **


	3. Right Is Wrong Where Wrong Is Right

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

* * *

Just after lunch that same day, Toph led Katara away from the group on the pretence of wanting to go shopping. Or maybe she and Katara actually were going shopping, Zuko didn't know. But Toph made sure he knew that he should begin phase one of her plan. So as he, Aang and Sokka lounged around the living area of the home Aang and his friends had been given, it was with a certain amount of awkwardness that Zuko began his part.

"Toph looked nice today," he said, sitting on the edge of the green velvet chaise longue uncomfortably.

"Did she?" Aang asked, uninterested. He grinned, looking all of his twelve years. "I wouldn't know, I can't keep my eyes off Katara now I know for sure that she likes me back."

Sokka, lying down on one of the cushy settees, held up a hand in protest. It was the only part of him visible from where Zuko was sat, as the rest of him was obscured by the arms of the furniture.

"Hey," Sokka protested, "can we not talk about girls? We finally got rid of Toph and Katara and Suki's gone to the Kyoshi Warriors for a few hours and now I want a guy day."

"Which involves what?" Aang asked, sitting on the steps between the settee and the chaise, his head flicking alternately between Sokka and Zuko.

"I don't know. Guy stuff."

The three young men pondered this for a moment.

"Wonder what Toph and Katara are up to?" Zuko asked, trying to get back onto the right topic.

"Probably not giving us a second thought," Sokka replied. "Let's return the favor."

* * *

"Zuko's hot, don't you think?"

Katara turned to Toph and raised her eyebrows. Her blind friend came out with random things at random times, but this was particularly unusual.

"No offence, but how would you know?" Katara asked as they ambled along the streets of the Middle Ring of Ba Sing Se. "You don't know what any of us look like."

Toph shrugged. "Okay, then. Is Zuko hot?"

"Yes," Katara replied before she could stop herself. She flushed, glad that Toph couldn't see her. "I mean, you know, to some people."

"What about Aang?" Toph asked. Unbeknownst to Katara, Toph already had an idealized version of Aang in her imagination. "Is he hot?"

"He's…Aang," Katara replied, fully aware that this wasn't a proper answer. "He's cute."

"Ouch," Toph commented, purposefully gliding over to a nearby shop and pretending to peer into the window. "Nice stuff in here?"

"What do you mean, 'ouch'?" Katara demanded, reacting exactly as Toph had wanted her to.

"Nothing," Toph shrugged, working hard to conceal the smile that came with knowing that Katara was still easy to manipulate. "Just that…no, it doesn't matter."

"What?" Katara asked, beginning to get flustered as Toph moved from shop to shop.

"Well…cute is what you'd call the boy you like when you're seven," Toph said with a heavy sigh. "And when you're calling someone else hot, it just seems a bit weird."

Katara stopped dead in her tracks.

"I do _not_ like Zuko."

Toph stopped with feigned disinterest.

"I never said that." She carried on walking. "But I wouldn't blame you if you did. I mean, he's strong and protective and kind…and apparently good looking."

"I'm with Aang," Katara replied with less conviction.

"I know." Toph began to muse. "I'm thinking about buying a new headband, will you pick one out for me?"

"Sure," Katara murmured, trying to shake her mind away from the topic of Zuko.

* * *

The mission was not going successfully for Zuko. An hour had passed since his first attempt to talk about Toph had been dismissed, and the boys had resorted to speaking about anything that popped into their minds. None of them had moved.

As Sokka and Aang discussed the possibility of frozen fire flakes ("would they still be fire flakes?") Zuko sighed in irritation. He knew how to persuade and manipulate people with threats and violence, that was easy. But he wasn't sure how to broach the topic of Aang with Toph instead of Katara without giving away his feelings, and that of course would ruin everything. So he decided to approach it from a different angle.

"Hey Aang, how would things be different if it hadn't been Katara who found you in the iceberg?"

No one questioned Zuko's new topic; it had been one of the more sensible questions of the morning.

"You mean if it had been some other girl?" Aang pondered this for a moment. "I don't know. I would've met Katara at the Southern Water Tribe's home, I guess, and we would've gone from there. She's my destiny, so we would've met somewhere along the line."

Zuko ignored the scowl he felt coming on at Aang's suggestion that Katara was his destiny.

"If Katara and I had grown up in the Earth Kingdom, Toph had grown up in the Southern Water Tribe and Zuko was the second-to-last Airbender, then…" Sokka trailed off to consider this before shaking his head. "No, it'd be too weird."

"Toph would've been the one to find you in the iceberg," Zuko spoke up, glad that he wasn't having to steer the conversation for once. "She'd be your Waterbending teacher, I guess. Who knows, you may even have ended up with her instead of Katara."

He forced a laugh, as though he found this idea ludicrous and the opposite of what he wanted to happen. Sokka and Aang laughed with him.

"It wouldn't be such a bad thing," Sokka said after he had stopped laughing. "At least Katara would be free to go with Haru."

"And his moustache," Aang agreed, starting fresh a new round of laughing for himself and Sokka.

"If Katara hadn't ended up with you, who would she be with?" Sokka asked, causing Zuko to hold his breath.

Aang scratched his smooth head. "Someone she likes, trusts, spends time with…you!"

Zuko snapped his eyes up as his heart spluttered, only to find that Aang was pointing hysterically at Sokka.

"That's gross, Aang, she's my sister!" Sokka protested as Aang started laughing again.

Zuko sat back in his chair, sulking that Aang found the idea of incest more likely than Katara being with the new Fire Lord.

The day didn't improve from there. Sokka and Aang delighted in naming everyone they had ever met as a potential partner for Katara. Except, of course, for Zuko himself. Zuko had no idea who the Cabbage and Foaming Mouth guys were, but if they were half as bad as their nicknames then it was doubly insulting for him.

"Are we going out for dinner tonight or staying in?" he asked, interrupting the list when he was no longer able to bear it. "Because I figure we should give Katara a break from cooking for us."

"She volunteers," Sokka said defensively.

"No, Zuko's right," Aang piped up. "What's everyone in the mood for?" Without waiting for suggestions, he ploughed on, "I'm thinking that new sushi place."

Sokka groaned. "Fish?"

"What's wrong with fish?"

"Well, it isn't…meat." Sokka glanced over to the Fire Lord. "Zuko, back me up here."

"Fish is meat, Sokka," Zuko replied wearily. "But we should wait until everyone gets back before we make a decision." He glanced out of the window at nothing in particular and sighed. "I'm going back to the Dragon, I've got a headache."

"Want us to walk you over?" Aang asked, standing up at the ready.

Zuko shook his head, guilt flaring up in him again. Aang, sweet, thoughtful Aang, didn't deserve the pain he would go through if Toph's plan came into fruition.

Still, it wasn't enough to stop Zuko from going after what he wanted.

* * *

It was late afternoon by the time Toph and Katara arrived back at the house the group shared. Toph almost immediately dumped the bags she was carrying and went to her room, clutching her head and muttering 'never again.'

"What's with her?" Sokka asked, watching the Earthbender leave.

"She doesn't cope well with shopping," Katara explained in a hushed voice. "I think she's got sensory overload or something." She brightened up. "But on the plus side, I got some nice things!"

"And this is where I leave," Sokka said, heaving himself up from the couch with difficulty. "Aang, she's all yours. Just make sure she doesn't go on about clothes too much."

"I'll talk about clothes as much as you've talked about food or sleep in the last few hours," Katara replied.

"Then Aang's in trouble," Sokka said as he disappeared into his room.

Shaking her head, Katara placed her own bags down carefully on a chair and went to sit on the newly vacated couch. Aang sprang up and sat down next to her, kissing her on the cheek sweetly as he did.

"How was your day?" he asked, and Katara immediately felt guilty for even entertaining thoughts about Zuko.

"It was good," she answered. "I tried not to take advantage of the fact that most of the shops in the city were prepared to give me free stuff."

Aang's eyes drifted over to the chair, almost groaning under the weight of several filled bags.

"Well, I didn't try very hard," Katara said, almost guiltily and Aang laughed. "What did you do today?"

"Sat around with Zuko and Sokka." Aang shrugged. "It was okay. Zuko kept talking about Toph, so that was kind of weird."

Katara's chest tightened. "He was?" She tried not to sound irritated or disappointed.

"Yup." Aang rested his chin on his knuckles. "Maybe he likes her! Has she said anything about him?"

"Yeah, she has," Katara answered, quietly deflating.

"We should set them up!"

"What?" Katara asked, perhaps more sharply than she should've.

Aang grinned eagerly, the wheels in his head turning. "Then everyone would be paired off!"

"But…the age difference," Katara said, not fully understanding why she was trying to make up excuses. "And we don't really know if they like each other, I mean, it could be embarrassing for them both."

"Only one way to find out," Aang said, standing up. "We should give them a private place to have dinner together. I'll tell Sokka to distract Zuko and you can distract Toph and in the meantime I can set up a table in the garden or something." He grinned again. "It'll be so cool!"

"But…the age difference," Katara repeated as Aang kissed her cheek and swiftly left.

She sat in the lonely living room and sighed heavily. Her chest hurt when she thought of Toph and Zuko as a couple. They just weren't right for each other at all, not like her and…Aang.

_Aang's name is the only name I should finish that sentence with, _Katara told herself sternly.

Annoyance and guilt circled round each other in her mind. Annoyance because she didn't want Toph and Zuko to be together, and guilt because of her reasons behind this. Still, Aang could never know, which was why Katara, ignoring her heavy heart, called out to her brother,

"Sokka, come here!"

There came a groan. "Can't it wait? I want to get some sleep!"

"No!" Katara called back, rolling her eyes.

"Shut it, both of you, or I swear there'll be a huge pile of rubble where our house used to be!" Toph hollered from inside her room.

The walls around Katara shook menacingly as though Toph didn't think she was taking her threat seriously.

"Right," Katara shouted. "Sorry."

She walked over to Sokka's door and knocked. "You need to distract Zuko for a couple of hours."

"Why?" Sokka asked, not bothering to open the door.

"Aang's set him and Toph up on a secret date in the garden." Katara, in her growing irritation over the whole set-up, didn't bother with an excuse. "Don't tell him."

That caused Sokka to open the door, his hair dishevelled after lying on a couch all day and then on his bed.

"_What_?" he demanded. "What do you mean, secret date?"

"I mean, secret date," Katara said, with an insolent shrug. "Sort of self-explanatory." She nodded down the corridor which lead to the living room. "Off you go."

* * *

Toph, having heard every word, scowled. Her plan had quite spectacularly backfired. Aang thought she was interested in Zuko? Please. Stupid Airbender. Maybe his element was the only thing that occupied his head, because there sure as anything was no brain there.

Toph listened in some more, although Katara wasn't saying anything else that was useful. Mainly insulting her brother for his laziness. What was up with her?

Toph grinned suddenly. Sugar Queen was _jealous_. Jealous because she thought she was going to lose her crush to her friend. This was great news for Zuko; it showed Katara was definitely interested in him. Aang, unfortunately, seemed as clueless as ever, but give him time. Give him time.

Refusing to dwell on the recurring worry that Aang would never want her, Toph set her mind to twisting the most recent turn of events in their favor.

She was just about to reach a plan when Katara shattered her concentration by shouting through her door:

"Toph, stay inside your room. I have to keep you distracted."

"Secret date, got it."

Toph would have to assure Katara later that she had no interest in dating Zuko, since Katara seemed pretty angry about the supposedly 'secret date.'

* * *

Zuko had been in the middle of meditating when Sokka barged into his room. The flames in Zuko's palm leaped like a startled ostrich-horse before the Firebender had regained control over his breathing.

"Sokka, you need to learn to _knock_!" he snarled, standing up quickly and scowling. "There could have been a fire!"

"You're the Fire Lord, what does that matter to you?" Sokka asked, raising a valid point that Zuko ignored.

"Why are you here?" he asked instead, clenching his fists until the fires dissipated.

"I thought we could chat," Sokka said, crossing the room to kick back on Zuko's bed.

"Make yourself at home," Zuko muttered, closing the door behind his unwelcome visitor. He turned around and spoke at a normal volume. "What was it you wanted to talk about?"

"Uh…"

Zuko could see Sokka casting around for a topic and silently seethed. The idiot had interrupted his meditation for nothing.

"You and Mai," Sokka settled on.

Zuko almost winced. Of course the warrior would have to choose an awkward subject.

"What about us?" Zuko asked carefully, leaning against the wall opposite his bed.

"Uh, you broke up, right?"

"Yes." Zuko smirked. "Why, you interested in her?"

"No!" Sokka couldn't deny that quick enough. He regained composure and realized he might have caused offence. "I mean, knife-wielding psychos might do it for some people-" at Zuko's expression, he blanched, "-I mean, she was sort of pretty but her personality was just…" Zuko raised an eyebrow and Sokka sighed. "Can I start over?"

Zuko nodded. "Go for it."

Sokka took a deep breath and said slowly, "No, I'm not interested in Mai like that, although I can certainly see why other people might be." His gaze flicked to Zuko. "That better?"

"Much."

"Good." There was a pause. "So why did she break up with you?"

Zuko frowned. "What makes you think she broke up with me? Maybe _I _broke up with _her_."

Sokka snorted, then caught Zuko's expression again. "Oh, you're serious."

"Yes, I'm serious!" Zuko scowled. "Things weren't working with us so I ended it."

"Was it her knives? I bet it was her knives. It was her knives, wasn't it?" Sokka looked sympathetic.

"No, Sokka, it wasn't her knives," Zuko said, barely suppressing a sigh. This conversation was annoying him already.

"Was it her monotone voice? Her general _blah_? Her taste in men?"

"There's nothing wrong with her taste in men!" Zuko snapped. "It just wasn't working out."

"Was there someone else?"

Zuko knew that Sokka was just guessing randomly, but this question momentarily threw him and he didn't answer.

"There is!" Sokka shuffled about and leant closer to Zuko conspiratorially. "Who is it?"

"No one," Zuko told him. "It doesn't matter. It wouldn't happen anyway."

The last bit was muttered under Zuko's breath, yet Sokka still managed to catch it.

"Aha!" he shouted, pointing a finger dramatically in Zuko's direction. "So there _is_ someone else!"

Zuko just glared.

"Who could it be?" Sokka wondered aloud. "It'd have to be someone you've been around a lot in the last few weeks, someone who knows you and your past well…it's a girl, right?"

"Of course it is!" Zuko spat, his fear that Sokka would figure out his feelings for Katara overriding everything else. "You don't know her!"

"I doubt that," Sokka said, bluntly. "I know everyone you know."

Zuko could think of at least four people he knew - or had known - that Sokka didn't, but kept his mouth shut.

"I don't want to talk about it," he settled for saying. "In fact, I don't really want to talk about anything."

If he thought that Sokka would take the hint, he was sadly mistaken.

"Is it Toph?" Sokka asked, his eyebrows knitting together.

"No," Zuko answered, confused. "Why would it be…oh."

Toph's plan hadn't gone, well, according to plan. Instead of making Aang think about Toph in a romantic light, now he and Sokka thought Zuko saw Toph in that light.

Damn.

But it was okay, as long as Katara didn't think that.

"I don't like Toph like that," Zuko clarified. "In fact, I don't like anyone like that at the moment."

"Sure." Sokka looked unconvinced, but didn't press the matter. "So, how long you in Ba Sing Se for?"

"I don't know," Zuko answered quickly, eager to pursue this new, safer topic. "I've got a meeting with the Earth King tomorrow, then a couple of speeches to give over the course of the next week. And I want to make sure that Uncle's properly settled in before I leave. So maybe a month?"

Sokka nodded thoughtfully. "Fair enough. We'll probably stay with you. Well, Aang might go off to do Avatar stuff, I might go off to see Suki and Toph might go off to visit her parents, so it could just be you and Katara for awhile. Try not to kill each other."

"Trust me, that's the last thing I want to do."

The conversation continued for quite some time until Aang burst through the door.

"Knock much?" Sokka asked Aang, standing up and raising his eyebrows.

Zuko shot a glare at his hypocritical friend but didn't say anything.

"Zuko, Toph needs your help with something back at the house," Aang said, ignoring Sokka completely. "We'll be along in a bit, I've just got some business to sort out. Sokka, will you help?"

"Sure."

Zuko knew right away that the Avatar had planned something. His shared glances with Sokka were too pointed, his eyes were too wide, his words were too emphasized.

"Right," Zuko said, his gaze darting between the plotters. "I'll go and see to it." He was almost out the door when he turned back. "Try not to mess up my room."

There wasn't much in his room to mess up, to be fair. There was a wardrobe, a bed, a writing desk and chair and a mirror. Zuko wished he had a picture of his mother to hang up, or even the picture of his family on Ember Island. A personal touch to warm an otherwise cold room. Perhaps he could ask Sokka to draw something…although it would be cruel to lead the poor boy on to believe he had actual artistic ability.

He reached the group's house quickly enough. He had tried to keep to the back streets so that no one would bother him, but there weren't many back streets in the Upper Ring. Regardless, aside from a few stares, he had gone unnoticed. The sun was just setting, casting everything in a beautiful amber glow.

He was about to open the front door when it opened, and a flushed Katara exited. She stormed past him, her shoulder colliding with his. Without thinking, Zuko turned and stopped her in her tracks by holding her shoulders.

"Katara, what's wrong?" he asked, turning her to face him.

She wouldn't look at him, but jerked her shoulders back. Zuko realized that his grip had been too tight and let go immediately.

"Sorry. Old habits," he joked weakly.

She didn't laugh. She didn't do anything for a moment, before her eyes lifted to his. They were shining an angry cerulean, like waves crashing against the shore.

"Enjoy your date," she said, spitting out the last word before turning on her heel and striding away from him.

"My what?" he called after her.

She didn't hear. Well, she probably did, but she ignored him anyway, Zuko decided.

Shaking his head, he opened the door and entered the house.

"Toph?" he called into the empty living room.

"Back here," came a faint reply. "In the garden."

Zuko passed through the eerily quiet house. He was used to it being filled with laughter and general noise and it seemed a completely different place when deserted.

"What are you-?" he began when he reached the garden.

The coloured lights strung through the trees stopped him. That, and the lanterns, the table with a rose in a vase at the centre, the two chairs around it and Toph, reclining in the chair furthest from him.

"Am I missing something here?" Zuko asked slowly, his eyes taking everything in.

"Welcome to our date," Toph said, an easy grin settling on her face. "The plan kind of failed."

"Kind of?" Zuko repeated, getting over his initial shock and taking the seat opposite Toph.

Food had been laid out for them, the usual things that Katara cooked for the group.

Katara.

Oh no.

Katara thought he'd had a date. With Toph.

She thought he was interested in Toph.

Zuko would've slammed his head against the table if it wouldn't have meant getting sauce all over his forehead.

"What's wrong?" Toph asked, chewing on a breadstick as though she didn't have a care in the world.

"Katara thinks I like you, which means she'll give up on me completely, marry Aang and have little Airbender babies with him!"

Toph raised an eyebrow. "Okay, first, I'm trying to eat. No mention of making babies of any nationality. Second, relax, we've got plenty of time."

"Still, all things considered, this is a step backwards, wouldn't you say?" Zuko asked, too preoccupied with his thoughts to eat. Although he could do with some wine.

"Maybe." Toph grinned again. "But don't worry, I've got another plan."

_Where's that wine? _Zuko wondered.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hey guys, hope you enjoyed the chapter. Sorry about the wait, I had a lot of things going on.**

**I know it's awhile off yet, but I got my Halloween costume in the mail last week (pirate girl ftw) so I figured I'd ask everyone: what are you going as for Halloween?**

**Thank you so much for the reviews, sorry the replies were a little late (:**

**Have a great week everyone!**

**- Momo**


	4. Don't Ask Why

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

* * *

Zuko woke up the next morning with dread slowly churning around in his stomach. It took him a moment to figure out why (and to figure out where he was; he still hadn't gotten used to sleeping somewhere other than a disused Air Temple) and then it hit him.

He had a meeting with the Earth King today.

Sensing his nephew's quiet nervousness about this ever since the appointment had been made, Uncle Iroh kept assuring him there was nothing to worry about.

"After all," he would point out over a mug of steaming tea, "it's not like he can blame you for a war you didn't start and helped put a stop to."

Little did Uncle know, this was only one of the many things Zuko was worried about. His fears went from the irrational - _what had happened to the Dai Li now that Azula wasn't in control of them anymore? What if she was secretly in control of them somehow and they were planning an ambush? _- to the selfish. After all, the last time Zuko had been inside the palace - well, under it - he had made one of the biggest mistakes of his life. Given that the Avatar and his friends had also been invited, Zuko prayed that a convenient memory blank would affect Aang, and more importantly, Katara.

Zuko was ninety nine percent sure that she had forgiven him for his betrayal in the Catacombs, but there was still that nagging one percent that wouldn't go away.

It was ironic, Zuko decided as he got dressed, that he had thought so little about Katara when she was fully prepared to heal him. Back then, he had secretly admired her bravery and loyalty…and, yes, noticed that she was pretty, but he'd had more pressing issues on his mind. He hadn't thought twice - okay, he hadn't thought _thrice_ - about her proximity to him, her cool hand on his cheek, her thumb gently covering his lips.

They were still enemies back then. Confidantes for a few minutes, until he'd gone and royally messed that up. Literally. Now that they were friends, and only that, much to his annoyance, he would give anything to be that close to her again.

For the hundredth time, Zuko wished he had taken the right path in the crossroads of his destiny. It would've made everything so much more simple. Katara wouldn't have spent all that time being furious with him for causing the death of her best friend and that sure would've made the few weeks spent at the Western Air Temple less awkward.

He turned to the mirror, smoothing down his clothes in agitation. The meeting wasn't until dinnertime, so he hadn't bothered wearing his ceremonial robes. They were uncomfortable, looked ridiculous and itched something terrible.

Once he'd finished with his clothes, Zuko moved onto his hair. While this hairstyle was much easier to maintain than the topknot, he had to admit it got on his nerves sometimes. Maybe if he did something different with it…?

It was the same question he asked himself every morning, and he never came up with a solution. Deciding, once again, to just leave it, he travelled down to the Dragon, smiling as he heard the soft snores of his uncle from behind the closed door opposite from his.

Zuko poured himself a small cup of tea and stirred it idly as he stared out of the window. The sun was shining and the various birds were whistling away. It had the makings of a beautiful summer day. If only Zuko could enjoy it. As often happened when he was distracted, he began to wonder what Katara was doing at this moment in time.

It was only early, so she'd probably still be in bed. Hastily moving away from the thought of Katara in bed, he turned his mind to other things. Like Toph's latest 'brainwave.'

"It's so simple," she had revealed the previous night. "It came to me today. Jealousy. Katara was crazy jealous when she thought we-" here she'd gestured between herself and Zuko "-had a date. I figure that if you pretended to be into another girl in front of her, she'll realize how much she likes you!"

Zuko had mulled this over. "That's great, except for one thing. I don't flirt."

"Sure you do, everyone does!" Toph had scoffed. "Just turn on the old Fire Lord charm. Or just, y'know, tell them you're the Fire Lord. If they don't run away screaming, they'll be the type that's attracted to power."

"That's a pretty big 'if'."

Thinking back on it, it was a huge 'if.' He highly doubted that all of the Earth Kingdom would welcome a new Fire Lord after so long. Most likely he wouldn't be trusted for a good few decades by some people, even despite his allegiance with the Avatar for the weeks prior to the end of the war.

Everyone seemed to have large trust issues when it came to Zuko.

* * *

Aang woke up to the smell of cooked meat. His nose twitched and he turned over in disgust. He wished his friends would copy his vegetarianism. It really wasn't that bad, especially now that he had proper food to eat and wasn't stuck eating berries and suspicious looking nuts that could've actually just been rocks. In his sleepy state, he briefly wondered what Sokka would do if he was issued with an ultimatum to either give up meat or die. Then he stopped himself; it was clear what he'd choose. Death.

He decided to get up when his stomach began to rumble. Toasted oats sounded like a good option for breakfast, maybe with some sheep-goat milk. Would he do that _before _or _after _he'd gotten ready and shaved his head?

He caught his own train of thought and grinned. This was the only sort of dilemma facing the Avatar these days. He wasn't going to bed each night wondering if the stars above him would be the last thing he'd ever see, or constantly on edge worrying for Katara and his friends. He was free, at last.

"Morning," he greeted Katara, the only one up at the moment.

She knelt at the low breakfast table, her azure dress - that matched her beautiful eyes, Aang noticed - crinkling under her knees. She glanced up and smiled.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

Aang nodded, kneeling down opposite her. His preferred breakfast choice was already there and he began to eat, forgetting to thank her.

"How did Toph and Zuko's…_date_ go last night?" Katara asked, putting her bowl of fruit down distastefully.

"Don't know," Aang answered through a mouthful of food.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Katara admonished, picking at her own food.

Aang obediently swallowed before continuing. "Hope it went well."

Katara smiled tightly. "Me too."

"What time are we at the Earth King's meeting?"

"Just before sunset," Katara replied. She allowed herself a small smile. "I think Zuko's nervous."

"Why should he be?" Aang asked, the creases on his forehead as he frowned even more noticeable due to his lack of ha

"I guess being back in Ba Sing Se palace makes him a little nervous," Katara murmured, as though speculating the reason behind Zuko's nerves was an admission of her similar concerns. Everything had changed in the Crystal Catacombs, and she was about as eager to go back to the palace as she was to face another ten rounds with Azula.

The room was silent as Katara contemplated the past. If someone had told her a year ago what the next twelve months held for her, she would've laughed at them. Or possibly slapped them for predicting a future that was clearly so different than what her own held.

And yet, here she was. Eating breakfast with the Avatar, thinking about eating dinner with the new Fire Lord, all the while confident that she could hold her own in a fight against pretty much anyone.

_Yes_, she thought, _things have definitely changed._

Toph was the next to rise. She stumbled gracelessly from her room and almost stumbled into a kneeling position in front of the table.

"Good morning," Katara said carefully, well aware of Toph's unpredictable moods when she had just woken up.

"Ugh," Toph said by way of reply. "I woke up early and I don't know why. A good morning it _isn't_."

Katara handed Toph some fruit. "At least you're not a Firebender. Zuko gets up just past sunrise every day."

There was a silence. Katara noticed after a few moments and glanced up.

"What?" At her friends' - _I mean, friend's and boyfriend's_, Katara hastily corrected_ - _raised eyebrows she frowned. "There was a time I thought he was going to murder us all in our beds, so I did a little surveillance."

"You _spied _on him?" Aang sounded somewhere between amused, disgusted and worried.

"No!" Katara shrieked, before checking her voice. "No. I just remembered something Zuko told me a long time ago and put it to the test." She paused. "You can stop staring at me like I'm a stalker now."

"I'm going to be locking my door from now on," Toph muttered, forsaking the fruit and going instead for breakfast meat and bread rolls.

"New topic," Katara said quickly before Toph could get anymore snide comments in.

"Okay. Toph, how was your date?" Aang asked.

"Or…the weather?" Katara suggested, unwilling to talk about to do with Toph and Zuko as a couple. "It sure is cloudy today."

A swift glance out of the window corrected that the sky was a smooth azure, and Katara prayed that no one would call her up on this.

"You're all morons," Toph told them. "You honestly thought I liked Zuzu? Ew."

Relief flooded around Katara like an internal tsunami. Guilt for being relieved would follow soon after, she knew, but for the moment she would just bask.

"Katara thought it," Aang lied, trying to escape blame.

"Did not!" Katara answered indignantly. "Why would I want Toph and Zuko together?" She noticed Toph grinning into her bread roll and remembered Toph's theory that she herself liked Zuko. She forced a laugh, which came out a little too nervous in her opinion. "They're both mad; if we put them together they'd plot world domination or something."

"Right, because _that's _your reason," Toph said under her breath.

Katara would've kicked her if it didn't mean upending the small table.

"I'm going to get ready," she announced instead, abandoning her food and standing up. "Toph, do you want to go shopping again today?"

Toph scowled. "Why don't you just kill me?"

Katara shrugged. "Can I take that as a maybe?"

Katara didn't know that Toph had her own plans. That was probably for the best; if she had known, she would never have allowed Toph to leave the house that day.

* * *

It was difficult to search for two stunningly attractive people when you were blind, Toph decided. She could've taken Zuzu with her on her quest for jealousy-inducing 'friends' but, knowing him, he'd mumble something and wander off. He really needed to be more pro-active if he wanted to be a good Fire Lord. Then again, anything was an improvement on the last one.

Toph walked around for awhile with no real idea where she was going. It wasn't as though she could hold up a sign: "Attractive? Let's Talk." She couldn't go to any of her friends, because they'd all suspect something. So then who…?

As the thought struck her, she grinned and changed her course to the Jasmine Dragon. Iroh. Of course it would be Iroh! He wasn't stupid, he would've realized that his nephew was infatuated with the resident Waterbender. She may have to trust him with her own feelings about Aang - not to mention trust him not to judge her - but it would be worth it. They guy had been a General, he was sure to know something about stealth and planning and…stuff.

Deciding that it would take too long to get to the Dragon by herself, not knowing the city very well yet, she tapped the nearest person to her on the arm and, hoping that they didn't recognise her as the kick-ass Earthbender in the Avatar's gang, pulled the 'could-you-please-help-me-I'm-blind?' routine.

It worked. A little too well, actually. The old woman took her by the arm (without asking, thank you very much) and guided her almost forcefully to the tea shop, and then had the audacity to pat Toph on the head once they had arrived.

"You sure you don't need any help getting in, dear?" the old woman croaked.

"I'm fine, thanks," Toph assured her, wrenching out of her grip and almost running to get away.

Once inside the Dragon, she skirted this way and that to avoid people. Some of the tea servers that Iroh had recently hired greeted her and offered to show her where Iroh was. Toph was willing to bet that he was where he always was: in the kitchen, fussing over tea.

Sure enough…

"These leaves are all wrong," Iroh muttered, bent over a steaming mug. "Add water and it's just hot leaf juice!"

"That's what all tea is," said Toph by way of greeting.

Iroh straightened up and beamed at the newcomer. "Hello, Toph! And, yes, that's what Zuko said. But tea is _more _that that when made with the appropriate amount of love and care."

"Well, yeah," Toph answered as the tea servers left them alone. "Then it's hot leaf juice made with an unhealthy amount of affection."

Iroh inclined his head. "If that's how you choose to see it, then I will not try to change your mind. Even though you're wrong." He chuckled good-naturedly. "Anyway, my young friend, what brings you here?"

"Something that probably isn't good for my karma, but something that I'm hoping you'll help me with anyway."

"I'm intrigued," Iroh said, controlling the flames until they were barely visible.

Suddenly Toph didn't know what to say. "Well, you know Zuko - I mean, of course you know Zuko, you're his uncle - and how recently he's been…uh…" Toph took a deep breath and tried again. "The thing with Katara is…I mean, she's a really loyal person and whatnot, but Zuko really likes her in the non-platonic kind of way and, well, she likes him back."

Iroh nodded slowly. "Do you mean to tell me that that _isn't_ common knowledge? I thought everyone was just being tactful and not mentioning it."

Toph's mouth dropped open, although she didn't know why she was surprised; Iroh was the wisest, most clued-in guy she had ever met.

"Alright then," she said after she got over her initial shock. "Does that mean you'll help me split Aang and Katara up?"

Iroh looked grave. "I don't know if I could actively work to tear apart a relationship." He mulled it over for a few moments. "Perhaps if I assisted in ways to get Katara to notice Zuko a little more, Destiny will take its course either way. And," he added with a smile, "Aang would be free to entertain other attentions cast his way."

Toph blushed and turned away. "I suppose he would," she said, although there was really no point being coy if Iroh already knew.

"So, what's the plan?"

"At the moment? Jealousy. We find some pretty young thing for Zuko to parade in front of Katara and hope it's enough for her to, I don't know, publicly confess her love for him or something."

"And we do the same for you and Aang?" Iroh guessed.

Toph sighed heavily. It was going to pain her to admit this. "I don't think that Aang will notice me while he's still with Katara, no matter what I do. If I can get Katara out of the way then, yeah, I have a shot. Otherwise…" As though a flood gate had opened, Toph found herself gushing her feelings. "I realize how awful that sounds, you know. Trying to split two of my best friends up so I can be with one of them instead. It sounds pretty awful on parchment." She laughed mirthlessly. "It's pretty awful anyway. But it's not totally selfish, right? I mean, Zuko really likes Katara. She likes him back, and I think the only reason she's with Aang is that Zuko didn't tell her how he felt in time. So if you look at it, this is all Zuko's fault."

"Things have an unusual habit of being Zuko's fault," Iroh said, sounding as though he was considering a lot. "I'm afraid, Toph, that if you're looking for assurance from me that what you're doing is right, you won't get it. I'll give you my support in one or two of your schemes because I genuinely believe that Katara could make my nephew very happy, and Agni knows he deserves to be happy."

In that moment, although Toph couldn't see it, Iroh looked ancient. His face was lined by tiredness, the corners of his lips drooped down in sadness and the sparkle that his eyes usually displayed so proudly had been stolen away by the loss that time brings.

* * *

It took all morning and half of the afternoon to choose a suitable girl. It was an embarrassing selection process, that mainly involved Iroh pointing out a suitable young woman in the Dragon to Toph, who would then approach her with the line "excuse me, my friend would appreciate the pleasure of your company." Some girls shot disgusted looks towards Iroh before stalking off, but a few had stayed to listen to Toph's proposition: "act like you're into him and there's a free meal in it for you."

After hours of disappointment ("Hi, my name's Sun, but my friends call me Sunshine!" and "You guys will pay me, right?" were the two potentials that stood out in their memory) Toph and Iroh finally settled on Mari Su, a sweet fifteen year old who worked in her parents' shop. Her smile was bright, her manners were perfect and to top it all off, she was stunning.

"Usually in my spare time I volunteer at the local infirmary," she told them as they made their way to the apartment where Iroh and Zuko lived. She messed with the ends of her tightly plaited hair which shone in the sunlight that streamed happily through the window. "And I was a little sceptical when I first heard what you had to say. But after a moment, I recognised you both as the heroes you are and, well, how could I say no?" She laughed, showing every one of her straight, white teeth. She glanced around and lowered her sugary voice conspiratorially. "And if Fire Lord Zuko's as interested in Katara as you say he is, then who am I not to assist the path of true love?"

Toph was ready to push Mari Su out of the window at this point. Her relentless optimism was irritating to no end and her view of the world seemed to be straight from a fairytale.

"Yeah, well just remember to keep it zipped about that," Toph grumbled. "Just fawn over Zuko like he's attractive."

"Oh, but he is!" Mari Su replied. "All the girls in my apartment building have a crush on him."

Toph was ready to poke a hole straight through all the flaws with this statement, such as these girls had probably only seen a portrait of Zuko at best, they'd never met him and they obviously hadn't heard of all the bad things he'd done _before_ becoming the poster boy for redemption. But she held her tongue. This plan could actually work.

They reached Zuko's door and Iroh rapped on it three times.

"Zuko?" he called uncertainly. "We have a guest."

Zuko wordlessly opened the door, his eyes flicking from his uncle to his friend to the newcomer.

"Hello," he said tonelessly.

"Pleasure to meet you, Your Royal Highness" Mari Su answered, flashing him one of her smiles. Zuko looked suitably stunned, although not quite in the way Toph expected.

"Likewise," he said through gritted teeth, observing Mari Su with obvious disdain as she bowed. "Excuse me, can I steal away my uncle and Toph for just a second?"

Without waiting for an answer he practically dragged them through the door, closing it tightly behind them.

"You want to explain what that's about?" he asked, jerking a thumb angrily at the door. He shot a glare at Toph. "And please don't tell me that you were actually serious about your plan last night."

"Of course I was," Toph answered calmly. "It's a good plan. Just turn up to Aang's before the meeting with the Earth King with Mari Su in tow and Katara will blow her top. It's foolproof."

"No! No, it isn't! It's smartproof! There are a million ways that this could go wrong and I'm not just going to wait around for it to blow up in my face like last time," he said, his temper fraying.

"Where have you been today?" Toph asked, out of nowhere.

"Nowhere," Zuko answered, nonplussed at the topic change. "I went to the Dragon this morning then came back up here to figure out what I was going to say to the Earth King."

"Perfect." Toph grinned and glanced at Iroh, who also smiled. "You can say that you were shopping in the Upper Ring when you met Mari Su-"

"Shopping? Try sightseeing. Like I shop."

"-and you invited her for some tea. You two really hit it off, so you figured you'd introduce her to your friends," Toph finished triumphantly, ignoring Zuko's interruption completely.

"How did you get dragged into this, Uncle?" Zuko asked, and Iroh shuffled like a naughty schoolboy.

"I volunteered," he admitted, exchanging a guilty glance with Toph.

"Uncle-"

"But only so you'd be happy!" Iroh protested. "I think you should give this a go. Mari Su knows what's going on, so there's no chance that you'd be leading her on."

"Great, so the only person who doesn't know how I feel about Katara is Katara," Zuko muttered, turning away to face the window. He closed his eyes for a long moment and sighed. "Fine."

After all, what did he have to lose?

* * *

"I'm back," Toph called out as she entered the house.

Katara looked up and smiled. "Welcome back," she replied. Before she could stop herself, she asked, "Is Zuko with you?"

Her question was answered as Zuko trailed in behind Toph, holding the hand of some girl that Katara hated on sight. Her hair was a shade or two lighter than her own, her smile was bright, her clothes fitted her just right and she gazed at Zuko as though he were the center of her universe.

Katara's jaw tightened instinctively. She was somewhere between feeling very hurt and very angry. She had really thought that Zuko only had eyes for _one _person, but here he was, sitting down on the couch and putting his arm around someone else.

Aang, bless him, bounded up to the stranger like an excited puppy.

"Hi, I'm Aang," he introduced.

"Hi, my name's Mari Su," the newcomer answered, her smile almost blinding. "I'm a huge fan. Thanks for saving us all like that, that was really great."

Katara's eyebrows rose and she bit back a retort. She allowed Aang to make introductions for her, forcing a smile but no welcome. As far as she was concerned, this girl wasn't welcome. And that's what made Zuko hugging her closer to him all the more painful.

Sokka entered from the kitchen, gnawing on an unidentifiable piece of meat like a wild animal.

"Hey, sis," he began before his eyes locked on Mari Su. "Wow, who's that?"

"Someone your girlfriend could beat the you-know-what out of after she's finished beating you into a bloody pulp," Katara replied sweetly.

Sokka pouted slightly. "I was just looking. You know I'm totally committed to…ooh," he trailed off as Mari Su stretched, sticking out her chest.

Katara swatted her brother on the side of his head. She wished Suki would come back already and share in her dislike of Mari Su.

Sokka barely protested and instead strutted over to introduce himself. Katara rolled her eyes, feeling every part of the jealous and bitter child she probably looked like. Zuko had barely spared her a glance the whole time he'd been there. Too busy looking at Mari 'My Breasts Are Bigger Than My Head' Su, Katara expected.

"We just ran into each other," Mari Su was explaining to the group when Katara decided to start listening. "Literally. Zuko over here wasn't watching where he was going," she gave Zuko a playful prod, "and I almost ended up on the floor!"

_Give it time, _Katara thought, flexing her knuckles as everyone laughed politely. Zuko, give him his due, merely looked uncomfortable.

"So Zuko took me to get some tea as an apology at your _wonderful_ tea shop," she directed this last part to Iroh, who looked bashful, "and before I knew it hours had passed and he invited me back here to meet you all."

_Way to go, Zuko,_ Katara inwardly muttered. _Thanks for bringing her into my home. Think I might invite Azula over for a spot of afternoon tea, how would that go down with you?_

"I'm glad he did, you all seem super nice," Mari Su carried on, flicking a glance at Katara.

_That's it_.

"Excuse me, I need to go vomit," she said, summoning up a smile to rival Mari Su's and escaping quickly to the garden through the sliding glass door.

It took her a few moments to cool down, and when she had, she cursed herself. How was she going to explain that without sounding jealous of Zuko? She supposed she could twist it so that she seemed jealous of Aang's reactions to the new girl…yes, that could work. She wandered over to the table that had been set for the previous night for Toph and Zuko's date. Was it awful of her to be relieved that they hadn't hit it off? Probably. Not that it mattered now anyway, not with the introduction of Little Miss Sunshine.

Katara took another few deep and calming breaths before deciding it was best to go in there an apologize. No matter how grudgingly. She turned to the glass door just in time to see Zuko walking towards her, his expression definitely not one she was taking lightly. He slid the door closed and said in a low voice,

"Will you come around the side of the house with me?"

"Why?"

"So that they can't see us arguing."

He stalked off and Katara followed, somewhere between annoyed and slightly afraid.

"What makes you think we're going to argue?" Katara asked as Zuko stopped abruptly.

To one side of them stood the smooth stone of the east wall of the house, to the other ran a high fence. Zuko stood in front of Katara but at least she could backup in case he got a little bit too heated.

"Because I invite a perfectly nice girl back to meet my perfectly nice friends only to find out that one of them has been taken over by a…" he gestured angrily up and down Katara.

"By a what, Zuko?" Katara interjected, her own temper rising sharply. "I haven't had a good fight in awhile, so just go ahead and finish your sentence. I'm begging you."

Zuko ran a hand through his hair in agitation rather than give into Katara's demands. He had no intention of fighting with her ever again. At least, not physically.

"What's wrong with Mari Su?" he asked instead, only just daring to hope that Toph's plan might have actually worked.

"She…" Katara's frown slipped away slowly. "I just don't like her."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "Anyone might've thought that you were jealous of her."

Katara's eyes snapped up to his. She was ready to deny it vehemently, he could see that. But her resolve faded and she looked away.

Suddenly and unexpectedly, rage flared up inside Zuko again. He could feel it burning inside him and it felt like the only way to get rid of it was to spit fire. Not literally, not this time. No, the fire he spat, the words and accusations, burned Katara worse than any flame could.

"What _right_ do you have to be jealous of her?" he shouted, causing Katara to step back in shock. "She's been here all of ten minutes! How dare you even _think_ you have that right…when every damn day I have to see you with _him _and pretend that it doesn't cut me up! To be _so close _to you and yet it might as well be a thousand miles because I know that you're with someone else!"

His heavy breathing slowed in the minutes that passed by. Katara couldn't look at him. Had he scared her with his admission? Or just scared her with his shouting?

"You should've…" Katara began, her voice hoarse as though she had been the one practically screaming, "you should've said something. Before." She lifted her eyes to his. "You were with Mai. You were with Mai, and you were going to go become Fire Lord and stay in your kingdom and leave me and I…and Aang…Aang was there." She exhaled lightly. "You should've said something before."

It dawned on Zuko that his fears of rejection were threatening to overwhelm him. He held up a hand.

"I get it," he said, his hurt making his tone much harder than he had wanted it to be. "You don't need to make excuses."

"I'm not-" Katara began to protest, but Zuko ignored her and almost pushed past her in his desperation to leave.

"Sorry," he called back without turning around.

He had meant for catching her with his shoulder as he exited, but as he lay in bed that night, he thought of all the other things he should have apologized to her for.

He was sorry that he shouted at her.

He was sorry that he had handled rejection badly.

He was sorry that he had just left like that.

He was sorry about everything that had gone on at the meeting with the Earth King.

He was sorry, and he didn't know how he was supposed to face her the next day.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hello all, hope you enjoyed the chapter.**

**I'm pretty sure I reorganized the hell out of the Gaang's house shown in Season Two, but hey. Let's call it creative license and swiftly move on.**

**Next chapter will be a sort of flashback one, both to the meeting with the Earth King and when and how Zuko started falling for Katara. We'll get round to Toph/Aang later, promise (:**

**Thank you for all of your reviews, I'm very grateful (:**

**Have a great week everyone (and a great Halloween, only a few more days to go!),**

**- Momo**


	5. Someone Like You

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

* * *

_A few weeks ago_

* * *

It all began for Zuko on one particularly warm morning in the Western Air Temple. Katara was only acknowledging his existence to scowl at him when she thought he wasn't looking, so nothing was new there. It was only one or two days before they had been forced out of the Temple, and Zuko distinctly remembered fretting, from the moment he woke up, for what had to be the hundredth time that Katara would try and kill him in his sleep that night. Threats didn't usually bother him, but this threat was from a scorned, mentally unstable Water Tribe peasant, so it had been playing on his mind.

He didn't think she would actually kill him; the thought was laughable. But if she tried, he'd have to protect himself and then he'd get accused of attacking her. He hadn't expected trust to be heaped upon him when he'd joined the Avatar's gang, but Katara's stubborn refusal to accept him was both infuriating and unnecessary.

Nevertheless, he was happy to have woken up unhurt. He was just about to find the others for breakfast when someone stormed through his bedroom door.

"Where are they?" Katara demanded, her eyes alight with the fire she so despised.

"Knock, much?" Zuko muttered, glad that he had pulled a thin shirt over his head before the Water Tribe girl had barged in; if she planned on attacking him for whatever he had supposedly done this time, the shirt could provide a small amount of protection.

"_Where_ are they?"

Zuko sighed heavily. "Who?"

"Everyone!" Katara answered, her eyes darting around the room as though Zuko had hidden their companions under his bed. "They're all just gone!"

"And, naturally, you blame me," Zuko said, refusing to panic until he knew all the details. "You really think I did it?"

"As the only one of the group who's tried to kill us and betrayed us on multiple occasions, I'm going to say yes." She glowered at him. "And Agni help you if I'm right."

Zuko was vaguely surprised that Katara even knew who Agni was, Agni not being the deity for the Water Tribe. Then again, he knew that the girl was full of surprises.

* * *

_Present Day_

* * *

Zuko watched the outline of the palace grow as the carriage that carried himself and Iroh approached. Would it be too late to get out and run? He had his stupid ceremonial robe on, so he'd probably trip and fall if he tried. Iroh sat serenely enough beside him, watching the guards who walked alongside the slow carriage and trying to engage in conversation with them through the open window.

"Uncle, they don't want to talk," Zuko said wearily, turning away from the window. "They weren't hired to talk."

"But it must be boring for them, just walking," Iroh protested, also facing away to the front now.

"They can take my place, if they want," Zuko murmured, trying to slouch without getting caught up in scarlet material bordered with gold.

"You want them to ride in the carriage?"

"I meant in general," Zuko corrected. He sighed, wondering what he should tell his uncle. He decided on the truth, figuring that Iroh would know a way to help. "I messed up with Katara. The thing with Mari Su…it worked. She was jealous. And mad. And probably scared, when I started shouting at her."

"You were angry?" Iroh seemed confused, and Zuko didn't blame him.

He laughed bitterly. "I told her she had no right to be jealous because I had to face her and Aang every day. Only I said it louder and I'm pretty sure I stressed a few more words."

"And what did she say to that?"

"She blamed me for telling her how I felt before she got with Aang."

Iroh brightened up. "But that's good! Surely that means that if you'd told her before, she would be with you instead of Aang!"

"I suppose that's one way to look at it," Zuko said, still glum. "But she has no intention of leaving Aang, otherwise she would've said something that wasn't along the lines of rejection."

"I'm sure she just needs some time to come around," Iroh told his nephew, patting him on the shoulder consolingly. "And I know this may be a foolish thing to say to teenage boy, but there are more important things in the world than girls."

"I'm aware of that, Uncle," Zuko scowled. "But they take my mind off things. Like meeting the Earth King and trying to convince him that I won't try and take over his city again." He exhaled. "Uncle, do you think there's any chance that he forgot about what Azula and I did?"

Iroh shot him a look as the carriage slowed. "Zuko, the Earth King may be ignorant but he is far from stupid."

"So that's a no?"

Zuko's hopeful question was ignored as the carriage door opened. A guard revealed himself, bowing deeply.

"Highnesses," he began in a surprisingly deep voice. "Welcome to the Palace of Kuei, Ruler of Ba Sing Se."

"It is a pleasure to be here," Iroh answered in the serious voice he used for official business.

"We are honored," Zuko added as Iroh gestured for him to exit the carriage.

He watched the carriage carrying Katara - and the others - pull up behind theirs and debated whether or not to wait for her. Then his pride reminded him of the blow she had dealt him earlier, and he turned instead to the guard.

"The Avatar will catch up," he hinted, and the guard nodded and began to lead the way.

* * *

Katara saw Zuko walking away and suppressed a scowl. He might be mad at her, but he shouldn't leave behind his companions. Her carriage emptied, and she felt Aang's hand hold hers. She smiled and squeezed it, ready to forget her guilt over Zuko and hurting his feelings. But it was for the best. They were complete opposites, they didn't make sense as a couple…

It was a list that Katara knew well, one she rehearsed every night as she lay awake staring at her ceiling. She almost convinced herself she didn't think of Zuko in that way, and then she'd see him the next day and her resolve would melt away.

But she was with Aang. And with Aang she would stay, because Zuko…

She shook her head slightly and sighed. There was no point going over this in her mind again. Barely aware of her surroundings, she followed her friends into the palace, trying to block memories of her previous visit here.

* * *

_A few weeks ago_

* * *

"Did they, I don't know, leave a note or something?" Zuko asked, following Katara around as she tore through the Temple. He was slightly concerned, but no more than slightly at this moment.

"Why would they leave a note?" Katara snapped, sticking her head in an empty room.

"Well, Appa isn't here," Zuko noted, his bare feet chilled by the cold stone floors. He wished he'd had the time to put on some shoes, or at least some socks. "So maybe they just flew off."

"Without me? No."

Zuko continued following her in silence, until Katara stopped suddenly in one of the corridors and turned to him.

"Talk about something," she ordered, her eyes carefully concealing the fear and desperation he knew was beginning to eat away at her.

"What?"

"I don't know, anything," she answered, starting her search again.

"Azula went missing once-" Zuko began until he heard Katara practically hiss.

"Something _else_."

"I miss Uncle."

Katara paused almost imperceptibly before carrying on. Zuko scowled at himself. Out of all the topics he could've started, why had he brought up that one? A personal, truthful one? He was an idiot. But he knew that Katara needed distracting from her worry, so he ploughed ahead.

"I went to see him a few times after…well, after what I did. Looking for forgiveness, I guess, but I never found it there. Even when he spoke, it was just his usual gibberish." He forced out a laugh, keeping to himself the fact that he'd give anything to hear his uncle's gibberish right now. "Nothing I didn't deserve. He broke out of the prison they - we - were holding him in before the invasion, or during it, I guess. He could be anywhere right now." He gave another laugh, one that physically pained him to give. "He's probably back in Ba Sing Se, serving tea like nothing's happened."

"You love your uncle, don't you?" Katara asked, although there was no doubt in her mind as to the answer.

"Yes," Zuko answered simply. "He was there for me when no one else was, and I betrayed him." He paused uncomfortably. "He's not the only person who trusted me that I betrayed in the Catacombs."

"Don't," Katara spat out.

Zuko could only see the back of her head, but he was willing to bet that he had angered her. He only had to glance her way to anger her. Not knowing what to say, he cast around his mind for something that wouldn't offend her or pain him to talk about.

"I can play the Sunghi Horn," he told her. "Not that well, but it proved useful for Music Night back on the ship last winter."

Zuko couldn't see it, but Katara's lips twitched as she fought a smile. They were just about to reach the area where food was prepared, and Katara needed Zuko to continue talking.

"You had a Music Night?"

"Yeah, I had to take the occasional break from brooding because otherwise my face would've frozen in a frown and I was told that was very unattractive," Zuko answered, trying to sound casual and failing.

"It's a testament to how worried I am right now that I'm not making any comment about-" Katara began, before stopping dead in front of the assortment of cooking utensils. A sheet of parchment was propped up against a pot. She stooped down to retrieve it, scanning it as she did.

_Dear Katara and Zuko,_

_We had to go and get some stuff from the market and couldn't decide which one of you to take with us, so we left you both there. You guys need to sort out your differences. Please both be alive when we get back._

_- Aang._

And at the bottom, in entirely different handwriting, was the scrawled warning:

_Zuko, hurt my little sister and you will face a boomerangy end._

_Sokka._

Katara handed the note wordlessly to Zuko and stepped out to the open-air part of the temple, supported by various columns. She wrapped her arms around her waist and took deep breaths to fight the tears she could feel coming on.

* * *

_Present Day_

* * *

Zuko looked dubiously at the feast that had been laid out for the guests as the Earth King made his speech. Some of this food he couldn't even identify, let alone be tempted to try it. He had his own speech to give shortly anyway, addressed to his companions, the Earth King and about twenty members of Ba Sing Se's elite, so his stomach was in no mood for food.

Although Katara sat next to Aang, who sat opposite Zuko, Zuko wouldn't look at her. He was still annoyed and hurt and didn't particularly want to be distracted by these painful emotions when his speech was coming up. He would ramble enough as it was, despite going over a few good points to cover with Iroh earlier.

The Earth King stopped speaking to a thunderous round of applause, that soon died away to be replaced with expectant looks to Zuko. The new Fire Lord stood up uneasily and took a breath as he fought the urge to flatten his hair or fiddle with the cuffs of his robe.

"King Kuei, esteemed guests" he began, glancing at each group as he addressed them, "family, friends-" his gaze lingered on Katara with the last word as he ignored the desire to label her as something other that just his friend. "I thank you all for coming tonight. Members of the Earth Kingdom, I understand that you perhaps felt anxious before the meal…and not just because of the food," he attempted to joke. He was met with stony silence and ill-concealed looks of distrust. Only Katara smiled down at the table before her. It gave Zuko confidence. "Which I'm sure will be great. Anyway." He cleared his throat. "I understand your mistrust of the Fire Nation and its monarchy. I am ashamed of the actions of my ancestors, of their greed and cruelty." He sighed and focused on the questionable food in front of him. "I am ashamed to say that I, at least for a short time, followed in their footsteps. My sense of loyalty to my Nation overrode my common sense," he looked at Katara before continuing, "and I hurt the people I now care about." Katara held his gaze for a moment before glancing away. He spared a look towards the others as well just to make sure he wasn't being too obvious about his feelings for Katara. "I came to realize the error of my ways and that's why I fought alongside the Avatar when it counted. My loyalty was as strong as ever, but this time it joined with my common sense to create the Fire Lord you see before you today. I'm sure it must be difficult for some of you to accept that I will be different that my father, grandfather or great grandfather and giving you my word would be worthless if you refuse to accept my sincerity. I don't blame you. Ba Sing Se is longer the impenetrable city you thought it was due to the actions of my sister." _And myself_, he silently added, but there was no way he would say this aloud in front of the Earth Kingdom Cabinet. "The very sister I helped incarcerate because I recognized that she was…" _Completely insane? Off her rocker? One spark short of a bonfire? _"a threat to the peace that the Avatar and his friends, and I feel honored to include myself in that group, were trying to desperately to restore."

His eyes once again sought out Katara. She gave him a small smile of encouragement and, with the extra strength she always seemed to give him, rounded off his speech.

"I was not prepared to become Fire Lord in the traditional way. I did not hand over the lives of soldiers I would never meet to the Spirits." He smiled sadly and touched his scar. "It was because of this refusal that I learnt the true costs of war. The villages that went without food or medicine, the children broken by the Fire Nation soldiers, the scarred landscapes. I met people who changed me forever." His eyes scanned the row in front of him. "I will be a different Fire Lord than my predecessors. I will not lose contact with my fellow world leaders. I will not lose sight of what it is that makes our world so beautiful and diverse. I will fight to preserve the peace, not just in my own land but anywhere the leaders of the other Nations need me. I will not abandon you in your time of need."

There was a few heart-rendering seconds of silence before the room filled with the sound of clapping. Not quite as enthusiastic as that which followed the Earth King's speech, perhaps, but still heartfelt.

Zuko allowed himself a grin and slid back down to his seat. Katara was practically beaming with pride, which both pleased Zuko and infuriated him. If she didn't want to be with him then fair enough, but she could at least act a little less like she did. But Zuko didn't dwell on it. This was his moment, and he revelled in it.

* * *

_A few weeks ago_

* * *

It took Zuko a minute to fully read the note, comprehend its meaning and roll his eyes at Sokka's threat. It took him another minute to realize that Katara wasn't stood next to him.

He looked around him and discovered her on the edge of the Temple, facing towards the mountains. She was shaking despite the warm air and she was clutching herself as though she were afraid she would fall apart if she didn't.

It took Zuko less than a second to decide whether he should leave her alone or not.

"You were really worried, weren't you?" he asked as he approached.

Katara jumped, stiffened then turned her face away from him. But not before Zuko saw the tear tracks on her cheeks.

Katara swiped at her eyes furiously and ran an agitated hand through her hair. Zuko could tell that she was angry with herself for revealing her pain in front of him.

To his surprise, instead of storming off or shouting at him, Katara sat down where the tiled floor of the Temple met the sky, her legs dangling into an abyss.

"Every time Aang goes away, I worry that he won't come back," she said in a whisper so quiet, it was almost swallowed up in the empty space before her.

Zuko realized that he was being confided in, and silently took what felt like his place next to Katara, hanging his own legs over the edge and ignoring the panic that one wrong move would send him falling.

"And when I woke up to find everyone gone…" Katara continued, shaking her head and staring at her clasped hands in her lap. "I thought you'd finished what you'd started. I was so scared." She took a deep, shuddering breath. "I know everyone's annoyed at me for not trusting you. They think I'm being paranoid or immature. But they weren't there when…" she trailed off and closed her eyes. "The moment I saw Aang get shot down by Azula was the worst moment of my life. It was a damn _second_ in time…and I just stood there and watched it happen. I couldn't even move, because I knew that I'd failed." She opened her glassy eyes and focused straight ahead, although Zuko knew she was mentally back in the Catacombs. "I made myself a promise the first time we rescued Aang off your ship, just after we left the Water Tribe, that I wouldn't let him get hurt." She began to get more and more worked up. "I was adamant it wouldn't happen, but there I was, cradling his smoking corpse. And worst of all, I failed my," she let out a choked sob, "my mother because I wasn't able to stop the people that took her away from me from taking away my best friend too." She pressed her lips in a tight line, but it didn't stop the tears from sliding down her cheeks. They sat in silence until she composed herself. "After I brought him back, I told myself that it didn't matter that I'd just assumed he'd win, that I'd stood there when I could've stopped Azula. I told myself that if you hadn't betrayed me - us - then Azula wouldn't have had the chance to shoot him." She lifted her shining eyes up to Zuko, who looked back solemnly. "I have to blame you," she explained, "because if I don't, I blame myself…and I can't live with that guilt."

Katara was the first one to break the gaze. With a deep sigh that betrayed her sorrow, she settled her eyes back onto the scenery before her, the tears drying up and leaving her face feeling tight.

Zuko wasn't quite sure what possessed him at that moment. All he knew was that he would gladly bear any burden Katara heaped upon him, just so long as she didn't feel any of the pain he knew was eating away at her. With this in mind, he lifted a hand and rested it on her arm, an action which, unbeknownst to him at the time, she would mirror in a few weeks.

Katara's eyes snapped towards Zuko's hand, and for a moment he was sure she would attack him. Conflict raged in the gaze that rose to meet his own, but as it dropped the Waterbender smiled slightly. Though she refused to admit it at the time, his touch warmed her, calmed her down, anchored her to the reality she was sometimes so desperate to escape.

_

* * *

_

_Present Day­_

_

* * *

_

Katara excused herself after dinner. She thought she would be able to handle being in the Palace just above where her world fell quite spectacularly apart, and for an hour and a half, she had. Then she had considered what beautiful emerald tiles the dining hall were covered in, and that inevitably led her to what lay beneath the tiles. Earth, crystals and a cavernous space of bad memories. Not exactly what dreams were made of.

She knew that she shouldn't wander too far away from the dining hall, as she'd probably never be able to find her way back. But her curiosity wouldn't allow her to stay in one place, and so she found herself sitting at a bay window overlooking the magnificent Palace gardens.

It was a peaceful night, if she ignored the armed guards patrolling the grounds. She was a storey or two up from the ground, looking out into the night sky. The stars twinkled back at her, and she wondered what the stars were like the night Aang died. She really couldn't remember much after healing him. She supposed she'd blocked it from her memory. Too traumatic for her to handle, perhaps. But if that was the case, surely she'd have permanent amnesia?

"You know, a couple of months ago there was just a flaming hole where you're sitting now."

Katara smiled sadly. "I don't even know why I'm surprised that you're here."

Zuko laughed softly. "I turn up in the oddest of places." He moved to sit next to her, staring at the floor in front of them. "Speaking of odd places…"

"I know," Katara murmured, staring at the same spot.

"They pulled the floor up here," Zuko told her, a frown creasing his handsome face. "I remember, because Uncle escaped through what used to be a wall, right where you're sitting." He glanced behind him. "Guess they turned it into a window."

"Guess so." Katara couldn't seem to be able to tear her eyes away from the floor. "Is this weird for you too?"

"Yeah. I don't like to be reminded of what I did and yet here I am…literally faced with it."

Moments passed in silence.

"Your speech was good," Katara offered.

"Thanks. I was sure that I was going to say the wrong thing and cause another war," Zuko said, laughing in self-deprecation. "You know how bad I am with words."

"The way I remember it, you were always good with words," Katara murmured. "I didn't offer my Spirit Water to just anyone."

There was an awkward silence, and Katara realized what she'd said.

"I'm sorry," she said hastily, wrenching her eyes away from the floor and up to Zuko. She hated seeing the hurt behind his expression. "I didn't mean that. I just…" She sighed. "Being back in this place. I can't stand it."

"It's fine. I deserved it."

"No!" Katara told him, feeling terrible. "It's just me being mean."

Zuko gave her a half-smile, which she accepted and returned.

"I wonder, sometimes, if it would've worked," Zuko confessed. "The Spirit Water. I can't decide if it would've been a good thing or not. I'm going to be scarred for the rest of my life…but I was scarred standing up for something I believed in. It's a part of who I am. But still, I wonder."

"I'm just thankful I didn't use it," Katara answered. "Because if I had, Aang wouldn't be with us now. All because of vanity."

Zuko frowned. "It's not exactly vanity."

"Well, you know what I mean."

"I'm not sure that I do," Zuko replied coldly, standing up. "My scar is more that just a blemish. If I got rid of it, maybe I could start letting go of the resentment I feel towards the father who burned and banished me. I thought you understood that."

Katara stood up too, aware that she was in dangerous territory. "I didn't mean to offend you," she said carefully. "Your scar makes you who you are, I understand that. It's like asking Aang to-"

"Don't compare me to your boyfriend," Zuko cut her off harshly, almost spitting the last word out. "I'm nothing like him."

"I'm beginning to see that," Katara said slowly, her eyes narrowing.

They stood glaring at each other, Katara wondering what kind of person Zuko really was, Zuko asking himself why Katara's rejection had affected him so much.

"Who are you?" Katara asked, shaking her head. "This place really brings out the worst in you, doesn't it?"

She stormed past him before he could answer.

* * *

_A few weeks ago_

* * *

Zuko was incredibly surprised that Katara hadn't shouted at him yet. He'd had his hand on her arm for a full five minutes. Not that he was complaining; it seemed to be relaxing for both of them.

"I want you to trust me," Zuko told her softly. "I don't want you to be afraid or constantly on edge."

Katara took awhile as she considered a reply. "I trust the side of you that I saw in the Catacombs, before the fight. But I don't trust your other side, and I probably never will. And I don't which side of you I'll get from day to day."

It was disheartening for Zuko to hear this, to say the least.

"I made a mistake," he murmured.

"And it cost Aang his life," Katara reminded him. "I have to be cautious of you."

The conversation that had occurred not ten minutes ago had already been forgotten on Katara's part, then. Zuko remembered his desire to help her, so didn't comment.

"Oh, and Zuko? Touch me again and I'll throw you off the side of the Temple."

Zuko retracted his fingers as though he'd been burned. Which, stop to consider the irony.

"I'll go make us some breakfast," he said, standing up swiftly.

"I'll do it," Katara answered with a shake of your head.

"Worried I'll slip poison in your oats?" Zuko asked, his eyebrow raised.

"Last I checked, I was the better cook," Katara corrected.

"Let me do this. I want to help you."

"I don't need-" Katara began defensively before sighing. "Fine. Knock yourself out."

"I hope you don't mean that literally," Zuko muttered as he started searching for utensils.

Katara sighed as she heard Zuko potter around. She had just shared her darkest fear with him, and the world hadn't imploded. He hadn't mocked her or laughed at her. In fact, he'd been much more comforting than she deserved considering how uninviting she'd been towards him.

Who knew, maybe this was the beginning of a change in their relationship.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hello all, hope you enjoyed the chapter. It took me bloody ages to sort out all the paragraph lines. This is the end of the Zutara flashbacks for now, but if you want more, feel free to check out the oneshot I wrote about a year ago called 'The Night Sky'**

**With the shameless self-promotion section of the author's note over, let me just say thank you for getting me to fifty reviews, I appreciate it very much (:**

**Special thanks to my friend Kas, who helped me out with my University applications (:**

**Hope you all had a great Halloween and didn't have one too many shots that tasted like petrol like I did. Heh. Also, Happy Bonfire Night to everyone who celebrates it! I don't know if 'celebrates' is the right word…but yeah.**

**Have a great next couple of weeks everyone!**

**- Momo**


	6. Welcome All To Curtain Call

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

* * *

Calling Zuko vain was like calling Aang a pessimist, Katara realized as she lay awake that night.

Despite going to bed far earlier than everyone else, she still couldn't get comfortable. The bed hadn't moved, the sheets were the same, the pillow still had the same dent in it that it had that morning, but she just couldn't get comfortable.

After much tossing, turning, sighing and irritated lip-gnawing, Katara stood up and smoothed down her nightdress. It was odd, having night clothes. She'd been so used to wearing the same clothes day in, day out, the only exception being when they had to be repaired or washed (because they got washed frequently, despite the protests of her travelling companions). She had never washed Zuko's clothes, though. He had always insisted on washing his own. Or maybe he knew she'd punch him in the mouth if he lumped his laundry in with all the others.

_Zuko is annoying_, Katara decided as she stretched her legs to visit the kitchen for an impromptu midnight snack.

He was annoying not for the things he said, or for his actions, but because Katara couldn't get a clear reading on him. He was constantly surprising her with his questionable morals or tender words. He was a mystery, not like Aang. Sweet, straightforward Aang. The one the Spirits probably set her up to be with. The hero gets the girl, how many stories had Katara been told that finished like that?

She wondered if any of the girls in those stories had objected to being handed over like a prize. Probably not. They had probably been captured by the villain, saved by the hero then wept at his feet as he rescued them.

Katara had been captured by her one-time enemy. But she had stood her ground and eventually escaped.

Aang had saved her before, yes, but it wasn't like Katara couldn't get out of those situations herself.

And the only time Katara had wept at Aang's feet was as he lay dead in front of her.

_And don't even get me started on the villain,_ Katara thought as she poured herself a glass of milk, not knowing what animal it came from, not really caring.

It always seemed sort of inevitable that she would end up with Aang. Her destiny. And who was she to argue with destiny, even if she wasn't sure it was what she wanted? Things with Aang would be simple, uncomplicated. He would tell her how much he loved her, shower her with gifts, give her the life she deserved after so much heartache.

Which was great. On paper.

But couldn't Zuko do all of those things too? And their relationship would never be boring, that was for sure. Considering they were binary opposites, they could be remarkably similar.

Katara gulped down the milk and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, an action she did only when she was sure no one was looking. She had to set a good example, even if it made her feel old before her time. She had spent half her life acting as a mother to someone, be it Sokka or Aang or Toph.

Zuko never treated her as a mother.

He treated her with disdain, with contempt, with affection. But not as a mother figure. As an equal.

All the times he called her 'peasant' aside.

She would apologize to him in the morning, she told herself as she headed back to bed. She had insulted him, and it was only fair that she offer her apologies. She wouldn't think about their increasingly complicated relationship. She wouldn't say anything to encourage him. She wouldn't remember the dream she had about him when she woke up in the morning.

* * *

"Katara?"

_Go'way._

"Katara, wake up."

_Nogo'way._

"Katara, this is important."

_So's my sleep!_

She cracked open an eye to see Aang standing over her bed, a hand raised as he obviously debating poking her.

"I'm up," she told him hastily, although it came out more like a croaked "'mup."

"Katara, I've been called away to another part of the Earth Kingdom," Aang told her, nudging her in the shoulder to make sure she was awake.

"Why?" Katara asked, opening the other eye and stifling a yawn.

Weak sunlight streamed through the thinly veiled window at the foot of her bed, telling her that it was far too early to be up.

"People are rebelling at the thought of the Earth Kingdom allying themselves with the Fire Nation," Aang explained. "Apparently not everyone's happy with it. Zuko can't go, it's too dangerous, so I have to instead. I'm taking Toph with me; the people should trust her, she's an Earthbender. Suki's back in town, so she and Sokka will probably spend some time together."

"So Zuko's on his own?" Katara asked, watching Aang move back as she sat upright.

"He's got Iroh," Aang said, waving away the notion of Zuko being lonely. "We're leaving with Appa in about an hour, is that enough time for you to get ready?"

Katara frowned. "What?"

"You can fix your hair when we're up on Appa, if you want," Aang said, misunderstanding her.

_Yeah, fixing my hair during high-speed winds, that makes sense_, Katara thought for a moment, before it struck her that Aang assumed she was going with him.

He had 'won' her, after all.

"I want to stay here," Katara told him. _With Zuko._

"But...why?" Aang was genuinely perplexed.

"Well, I don't want Zuko to be by himself in a city that doesn't trust him. And don't tell me he's got Iroh," Katara added, just as Aang opened his mouth to argue, "because Iroh once tried to invade Ba Sing Se and I'm pretty sure his popularity isn't through the roof right now either."

Aang closed his mouth sullenly before thinking up a new excuse.

"But we could be gone for up to a week if the people are difficult!"

"Then I'll see you in a week," Katara replied patiently, moving forward to kiss Aang on the cheek. "Have fun. Don't get killed."

"But I-"

"There are people out there who need you more than I do," Katara interrupted softly. "Now isn't the time to be selfish."

It took a few more minutes of persuasion, but Aang eventually agreed to leave Katara with Zuko, just as long as Iroh, Sokka and Suki were with them. If Katara didn't know any better, she would've said that Aang was jealous.

Aang left to get ready for the trip, and Katara, still half-asleep, dressed herself almost absently. When it came to her hair, she fastened her 'hair loopies' in as usual, but decided to leave the rest of her hair down. She tied the white sash around the waist of her cerulean gown and peered at herself in the mirror. She looked passable, if she did say so herself.

"Bye Sugar Queen!" Toph called from the living area, and Katara fastened the sash and ran out to her friends.

"I'll miss you!" she told them both earnestly, enveloping Toph in a hug she knew she would hate, but to her credit endured anyway.

"Have fun with Zuko while we're away," Toph muttered in Katara's ear as they embraced.

Katara stepped out of the hug a little sooner than she probably should've, and turned to Aang.

"Please be careful," she said, holding the side of his cheek in her palm.

"Are you sure you won't come with us?" Aang asked, one last, desperate plea.

"I'm sure," Katara replied, kissing Aang swiftly on the lips. She still couldn't get used to doing that after so many months of kissing him on the cheek. She preferred kissing him on the cheek, which surely wasn't a very good sign of a healthy romantic relationship. "Toph, look after him while you're away."

"I will," Toph grinned.

"Is Momo going with you?" Katara asked, casting a glance towards the dozing lemur spread-eagled across the chaise longue that Zuko usually occupied.

"Nah, leave him to his sleep," Aang said, waving a hand. "He and Appa have been apart for longer than a week, and I want someone to keep you company."

Exactly why Aang was refusing to acknowledge Zuko as a companion was beyond Katara, but she remained silent. Ignoring the familiar knot of worry that manifested every time Aang went away, she watched as two of her best friends left the house, cried 'yip yip!' and soared away on Appa.

* * *

Zuko irritated himself. Why did he have to be so touchy about things? Or, more specifically, why did he have to be so touchy with Katara about things? It wasn't as though he had never let her into his mind before. She was the first person aside from medics and his uncle that he allowed to touch his scar, and that was before he was even sure that he trusted her.

He knew she didn't mean any harm with what she said the previous night, so why had he taken it like such a…well, girl?

_Because you're an idiot, that's why,_ Zuko answered himself as he poured himself his third cup of tea that morning. He wasn't usually so enthusiastic about his tea intake, but he found the liquid oddly soothing when he was upset or angry about something. Mostly himself.

There came a knock on the doors of the Dragon, and Zuko barely bothered to turn around.

"We're closed!" he shouted, as though anyone could hear him through the thick double doors.

When the knocking continued, he scowled and heaved himself up off the chair. He strode over to the doors and threw them open. A messenger boy of no more than eleven stood before him, eyes as wide as gongs.

"Yes?" Zuko said, trying not to sound impatient.

The boy continued staring up at him with his mouth open, a letter clutched in his trembling hands.

"Is that for me?" Zuko coaxed, glancing at the letter.

The boy wordlessly held up the letter, never blinking, never closing his mouth. Zuko took the letter, unnerved by the unusual child.

"Do you want to come in for some tea…or maybe some medicine?" Zuko asked, adding the last bit thoughtfully.

"No, thank you, Your Royal Highness Majesty," the boy answered squeakily and Zuko fought the urge to roll his eyes. He wasn't in the mood for this. "The citizens of Ba Sing Se asked me to send you this but I thought a servant would answer the door and I didn't think it would be you but it is and I-"

"Take a breath," Zuko advised. "Who's the letter from?"

"The Council in the Middle Ring," the boy replied. "They've invited you to the fair. And you have a newsletter as well."

The boy stooped down and retrieved a scroll fastened with a wax seal of the Earth Kingdom insignia.

"Thanks," Zuko said as he took the scroll. "And thanks for delivering the letter. I'd tip you but, believe it or not, I don't have any money on me at the moment." He patted his pockets as if to emphasize his point. "But you can have a free mug of tea or a pastry anytime you want if you come down to the Jasmine Dragon."

When the boy went back to his staring state, Zuko cleared his throat and reached to close the door.

"Goodbye," he said.

"Is it true Lady Katara beat you in a fight?" the boy asked just before the door closed.

"No," Zuko replied firmly before shutting the door all the way and bolting it. "Stupid kid."

He made his way back to the table before slouching down in a way that would horrify the Fire Nation officials who expected him to act with dignity and grace at all times. He drained his cup quickly, ignoring the burning sensation he felt in his throat as the too-hot liquid slipped down it.

He opened the letter and scanned it disinterestedly until he got to the phrase 'end of war celebrations.' His eyebrow slowly rose as he continued on to read the part which explained that the citizens of Ba Sing Se had put together a festival with the theme of 'one hundred years ago, before the war even begun.' Traditional snacks had been prepared, the music to traditional folk songs had been unearthed and there were even going to be some traditional games.

Zuko, never a fan of tradition when it didn't suit him, wasn't sure how he felt about attending the festival, where he was assured that he would be the Guest of Honor. Which was sort of ironic. But when the other Guests of Honor were listed, and the second-top name was Katara, he knew he would have to go.

He wasn't sure, but he suspected that Katara was the type of girl who enjoyed the frivolity of things like this. As much as she tried to act mature and level-headed, he knew there was a child deep inside of her, just like there was a child inside of everyone. And he didn't want to miss her smiling and having fun.

Never mind that she would be there with her boyfriend. He would just have to conveniently forget that part. He just hoped that she had forgiven him for his touchiness the previous night.

Acting on impulse, Zuko strode over to the doors, unbolted them and set off for the Avatar's house.

* * *

The knocker on the door banged heavily against the wood, shattering the quiet that Katara had been banking on to get back to sleep. She heard Sokka groan loudly in the room across the hall and sprang up to get the door as quickly as she could. Someone in this house should be able to sleep.

She reached the door and opened it, her stomach dipping slightly as she saw who it was.

"Zuko," she greeted, a smile springing to her face even though they had fought the last time they met.

"Hey," he replied, his own small smile forming. "I'm sorry about last night. I would've brought flowers or something but that only occurred to me when I got here. The only plants you have in the front garden are trees and I'd feel kind of awkward ripping up your lawn."

Why did he have to babble when he spoke to her? He had faced off against foe after foe and not been this incoherent. Even when he'd been fighting her, he'd managed some form of witty retort.

_Maybe if I threw a bunch of fire at her, she'd be easier to talk to._

"I shouldn't have been so insensitive," Katara said, raising a hand as Zuko opened his mouth to ramble some more. "I don't think the Palace was a good place to go if the Catacombs were still in our minds."

Zuko nodded. "No Palaces, got it."

Katara smiled again. "Would you like to come in? Sokka's still asleep but I can make you some breakfast."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about coming over so early," Zuko said, sheepish as he entered the house. "Are Aang and Toph sleeping too?"

Katara led him to the kitchen, closed the door and resumed talking at a normal level.

"They got called away to somewhere in the Earth Kingdom," she explained. "Must have been last night that they got the message, because I didn't know anything about it. I went to bed early," she added as Zuko looked confused.

"So they're…gone?" He had nearly said 'out of the way' but doubted this would go down well.

"Yeah. And Suki's back today, so she and Sokka will be otherwise occupied." Katara rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Oh, well, I got an invite to something…you probably did too." Zuko held the letter out to Katara, who took it and read it, just as the door went again.

Katara walked as she read, almost tripping over the low table on her way past the living area towards the door. Zuko followed.

Katara opened the door to find a small boy there, his eyes wide as he stared up at her.

"Uh, hello," she said, clearly nonplussed as she glanced around to at Zuko, who stopped at her side.

"Hi again," Zuko said to the boy. "Do you have the same thing to deliver to Lady Katara?"

"_Lady_ Katara?" Katara asked, amused at her own title.

"His words, not mine," Zuko answered, earning a light smack on his shoulder.

The boy held up a letter and the scroll, identical to the ones he had given Zuko not fifteen minutes ago, his mouth slowly dropping open.

"I guess that's two cups of tea and pastries I owe you now," Zuko said to the boy as Katara took the delivery. "It's been nice…staring at each other. Bye."

"That was strange," Katara commented, after smiling at the boy and closing the door. "Did you know him?"

"We go way back. Old, old friends."

"He seemed kind of surprised at something," Katara said, making her way back to the kitchen.

"I think we must be some kind of idols to these kids," Zuko said, almost shuddering at the thought. He didn't want anyone to look to him for an example.

"That would explain the 'Lady' bit," Katara replied with a nod. "Wonder what they say about us."

"It's probably all sunshine and rainbows when it comes to you," Zuko muttered, closing the kitchen door behind him. "I'm the jerk who helped conquer their city."

"And then helped to get it back," Katara reminded gently. "You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. If they didn't like you, they would have invited you to the festival." She grinned. "Which, by the way, we're going to. I mean, you know, if you want."

"If everyone else is away or busy, it would just be us," Zuko told her, testing the waters. He scratched the back of his neck nervously. "Is that okay with you?"

"I think I'll cope," Katara answered, turning away so that he didn't see the smile that lit up her face. "Now, about breakfast."

* * *

Two hours later, the carriage that the Council of Ba Sing Se had insisted he and Katara take was drawing up to where the festivities were being held. Zuko had never been to this part of the city before, despite thinking he knew Ba Sing Se quite well.

"This must be the center of the city," Katara guessed, peering out of the windows excitedly as Zuko sank back into the plush seat.

This wasn't his thing at all. But if Katara would enjoy it…

Katara laughed and pulled away from the window. "You're going to hate this."

"I know." He shook his head and tried to act innocent. "I mean, why?"

"There's streamers, people dressed in colourful clothes, the music is being set up-" there was a loud blast of what sounded like some type of horn "-has finished being set up," she corrected herself, "and there's a sort of platform in front of a lot of rows of chairs." She glanced back out again. "But there are two special chairs, kind of obvious even from this far away. Could be for us."

"You think?" Zuko asked sarcastically, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Ugh, this is going to be awful."

"Stop being so pessimistic," Katara told him.

"Stop being so optimistic," Zuko shot back. "We shouldn't have come. They only gave us the invites a few hours before the event, that's not good manners."

"They wanted it to be a surprise for us," Katara answered as the carriage rumbled to a stop outside an archway flanked by two burly Earthbenders. "Besides, they know we didn't have speeches or meetings on today. I think it was nice of them, they've obviously been planning it for awhile."

The carriage door opened and Zuko bolted out, almost pushing Katara out in the process. She scowled and was about to speak angrily before she realized that he was holding his hand out to her to help her down.

Her scowl turned into a smile.

"You're very unpredictable," she said, reluctantly releasing his hand from hers.

"Is that a good thing?" he asked, nodding his thanks to the carriage driver.

"Depends on the situation," Katara replied quietly, settling an arm through his like she had seen many other couples do. Zuko didn't object.

"Your Highness! Lady Katara!" a woman who looked worryingly familiar greeted them, her eyes holding such joy that Katara wondered if she was being reunited with her long-lost children.

_Weird thought_.

"It's such a pleasure to see you here," the woman said, giving them a wide smile that immediately sent a jolt of shock down Katara's spine.

"_Joo Dee_?" she asked, jerking back on instinct so that Zuko tightened his arm around hers protectively.

Of course! How had Katara not recognized her straight away? The hair was shorter, only just brushing her shoulders, and the face was a little more lined, as though she had gone through some hardships, but it was obviously the same woman who had been under Long Feng's control.

Joo Dee's smile wavered. "Yes, I suppose I was."

"You know her?" Zuko's eyes were mistrustful as they lingered on the woman.

"Sort of," Katara said, as realization slowly dawned.

Once Ba Sing Se had been shaken from Azula's grasp, the army of Joo Dees must've been deprogrammed and released to carry on with their lives. They couldn't have been arrested, since it wasn't their fault whatever atrocities they had committed whilst under hypnotism.

Pity bubbled inside Katara and she frowned sadly.

"Do you remember meeting me?" she asked, although she had no way of telling which Joo Dees she had previously met and which she hadn't.

"I'm afraid I don't," Joo Dee replied, with a deep bow. "But it is an honor, and I can't apologize enough for what I may have done."

"You're forgiven."

Zuko scowled. "What's going on? Who is she? And why does she get forgiven so easily?"

"The Government in the old Ba Sing Se were brainwashing young women to keep the order, calling them all Joo Dee. This is an ex-Joo Dee. And she gets forgiven because she was under someone else's control and therefore isn't accountable for the stupid decisions she made." Katara smiled sweetly at Zuko. "So there."

As thought remembering that she was supposed to be a wise, mature young woman, she flushed slightly and turned to Joo Dee.

"What's your real name?"

Joo Dee smiled wistfully. "Amanthi. Although no one has called me that in a long time. I had almost forgotten. There were times when I…but I won't burden you. Please, if you'd like to follow me."

"Remembering your true name reflects your strength," Katara told Amanthi softly. "If you know your name, you know who you are. Sometimes people get called the wrong thing, sometimes they change their name to suit themselves. You're one of the strong ones, Amanthi."

Amanthi dipped her head in gratitude as the walked up to the platform. Just as Katara thought they were heading up the steps and onto the stone platform itself, Amanthi skirted around the circular edge and continued walking until they had reached the opposite side.

"If you'd like to ascend the steps, just here," Amanthi said, stepping aside so that Zuko and Katara could reach their seats, which were set slightly apart from everyone else and came complete with their very own bodyguards.

"I hope you have a pleasant day," Amanthi said, giving one final bow and leaving them.

"After you," Zuko murmured, gesturing up the five stone steps.

"Thank you."

They sat together in silence, looking out across the empty stadium. There were hundreds of seats, which would no doubt be filled soon. But for now it was just the two of them, awkwardly aware of the eavesdropping bodyguards.

"That was really nice, what you said to that woman," Zuko murmured, dipping his head towards her in the hopes they wouldn't be overheard. "About her true name. I get that."

Katara smiled faintly and gazed at her hands. "I thought you would." She paused. "It's true, you know. It's the same with titles. You were never a prince in my eyes until you redeemed yourself."

"And now?"

Katara lifted her eyes to his, and the intimacy of the moment almost caused Zuko to pull away. They were so close, that if one of them were to move in…

"Now you're a king," she answered, breathing in his scent. "I didn't think I'd ever forgive you, but these last couple of weeks have really…and now I…"

Katara trailed off again and there came a pause that lasted a lifetime. Then she cleared her throat and leant back into her chair.

"I wonder how Aang's going on?" she asked, feeling guilty even though she had done nothing wrong. _Thought _about it, yes, but not acted on it. And that was the important thing.

"I'm sure he's fine," Zuko said, also leaning back, disappointed. "Look, people are starting to get here."

Katara looked out at the stadium, glad of the distraction.

It took half an hour for the stadium to be filled up completely, during which time Zuko and Katara forced polite conversation, each dwelling on what might have happened. In the meantime, entertainers took their place on the platform, dancing and performing acrobatics in brightly coloured clothing that were obviously fashionable a hundred years ago.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" a voice boomed, making Katara jump and Zuko laugh.

"Shut up," she muttered.

The voice, belonging to a powerfully-built man, continued. "I'd like you to join me in welcoming the heroes of the world, Fire Lord Zuko of the Fire Nation and Lady Katara of the Water Tribe!"

The stadium erupted in applause and cheers. Zuko gave an awkward wave of acknowledgement.

"Did you just _wave_?" Katara asked in amusement over the cheers.

"No, your Ladyship."

"Be quiet."

"I am your Host for today," the Host carried on when the noise died away, only to be met with more applause. "Thank you. A hundred years ago, things were very different. The clothes were different," he gestured at the now still performers, "recipes were different, the way we raised our children was different…even the way we courted someone was different!"

It took Zuko all his strength not to glance at Katara.

"These hundred years have been difficult on all of us, on our parents and on their parents and so on. In another hundred years, maybe the only thing left of the war will be a half-forgotten memory in the back of one person's mind."

Katara's fist tightened. She wouldn't allow that to happen. Aang died trying to stop the war, her mother died to give the Water Tribe hope. There was no way anyone would ever forget those sacrifices, even if Aang was alive again.

Zuko laid a hand on her arm to sooth her. She met his eyes and relaxed slightly. His touch felt so warm against her skin.

"But we won't let that happen!" the Host promised, to roars of approval. "And so we throw this festival, in memory of the ways things once were and in hope of how we wish for things to be!"

He bowed as he finished his welcome speech, and backed off the platform, gesturing to the entertainers to begin their main performance.

The show was spectacular. There were at least three people representing each nationality (the Air Nomads aside) and the majority of the dancers were benders, who shot complicated moves at each other around the platform.

"Do you think we ever looked that graceful when we were fighting?" Zuko asked, his eyes following one of the Waterbenders.

"Not a chance," Katara replied, transfixed. "Well, I might've done. You have the grace of a hippo-rhino."

"I'd find that offensive, but it's true."

The show finished with sparks erupting from the Firebenders' fingertips, stopping just short of reaching the audience, who clapped wildly as the dancers and acrobats took their bow.

"Impressive," Katara murmured, applauding with the rest.

The Host made his way back onto the platform, clapping and nodding as the performers passed him.

"Wow, wasn't that something?" the Host asked, pretending to wipe his brow. "I really thought we'd all be on fire by the end of that!"

"Patronizing, isn't he?" Zuko asked quietly, and Katara giggled.

"Now, as I mentioned before, dating someone a hundred years ago was a lot different," the Host said, starting a new topic with a wicked gleam in his eye. He glanced behind him towards the archway and gave a swift nod.

A strapping young man of around eighteen ascended to the platform, smiling suavely at the audience. No doubt every girl in the stadium wished that smile was just for her. Katara herself gazed at him, much to Zuko's annoyance.

That gaze turned to a look of horror as the young man crossed the platform to come to a stop in front of the chairs Zuko and Katara occupied before kneeling.

"Oh, no," Katara muttered as every eye in the arena swivelled in her direction.

"Lady Katara," the young man said, his dark eyes looking into Katara's beseechingly. His voice was strong and clear, carrying across the cavernous space. "Would you allow me the honor of courting you?"

There came a few laughs, at the young man's boldness or at Katara's horrified expression, Katara didn't know. She felt color flood into her face.

The Host spread his arms, drawing all attention back to himself as he began to speak again.

"But if there was more than one man interested in courting the same woman, a duel would ensue. And, since Lady Katara is beautiful and virtuous-" Katara heard Zuko smother a derisive snort at 'virtuous' and almost kicked him "-surely we have more than one young man interested in courting her?"

To Katara's mortification, hands shot up around the stadium.

"Of course," the Host continued, enjoying himself immensely, "anyone who wishes to court Lady Katara will have to duel with Kai."

The young man - Kai - stood up and took his shirt off to reveal a healthy tan and some muscles that had been cleverly disguised under his tunic. The hands wavered, but some brave souls still remained.

Before Katara knew what was happening, Zuko stood up.

"I'll do it," he said, keeping cool eye contact with Kai. "I accept your duel."

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hello all, hope you enjoyed the chapter. Next chapter will probably he half-and-half of Katara and Zuko, and Toph and Aang. **

**Amanthi is a Sri Lankan baby girl's name…I was originally going to go with Athula to be ironic (say it out loud). I know that Earth Kingdom names are traditionally Chinese or Japanese, but I wanted to go with something a little different (:**

**Thank you for all of your reviews, they're very much appreciated (:**

**Hope you all have a great weekend!**

**- Momo**


	7. Up Through The Ashes

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

* * *

"Zuko," Katara hissed, tugging on his arm as the arena erupted with murmurs. "Sit down!"

"Rules?" Zuko asked the Host, ignoring the irritated Waterbender beside him.

"You Highness, with all due respect, I am not certain it would be wise to duel Kai," the Host said slowly, bowing as an extra measure of respect.

"He's right!" Katara said. "Sit down and we can pretend it was a publicity stunt or something."

Zuko glanced down at her disparagingly. "Katara, I'm the sole _sane_ heir left of a legacy of cruelty and destruction, I really don't need any more publicity." His eyes flicked back to the nervous Host. "If I get harmed during the duel, it'll be no one's fault but my own. Now, what are the rules?"

"Zuko, don't do this," Katara pleaded as the Host consulted with one of his colleagues.

"Why?" Zuko asked. A smirk lifted up the corners of his mouth, and all of a sudden he was the back to being the young man she had known all those months ago. _I'll save you from the pirates_. "Think he can beat me?"

"No, it's just _stupid_," Katara snarled. "Fighting someone for my honor is a little different than fighting me for your own honor! What do you have to prove?"

The smirk vanished. "I think you know."

"Zuko-"

He cut her off by leaving the box they were seated in and making his way down to the platform. Katara clenched her fists.

_Stupid boys with their stupid pride, thinking they have to make a stupid point_.

Zuko, although he refused to acknowledge it, _was_ feeling pretty stupid. He was supposed to the Fire Lord now, he shouldn't be seen entering duels with random people. And what if he were to lose? The citizens of Ba Sing Se would think he was weak, and that could lead to an attack on the Fire Nation! Okay, so a few steps were omitted in that theory, but still. And what if he won, but the Earth Kingdom viewed his fighting technique as vicious and decided to attack the Fire Nation? Again, logic wasn't really on his side, but he didn't have time to think it through.

Kai bowed deeply as he passed. "Your Highness."

"Kai," Zuko returned, nodding his head in acknowledgement. "Nothing personal, I just haven't had a reason to duel recently." He almost winced. "A _duel _recently. I just haven't had a duel recently."

He continued on to the Host, who also bowed.

"Fire Lord Zuko," he said, straightening up and smiling in a nervous sort of way. "Such an honor to have to you here, Your Majesty, such an honor."

"Thank you for inviting me," Zuko answered awkwardly. He wasn't good at formalities, and wished to skip to the fighting part. Which, on reflection, wasn't really a healthy attitude to have. "What are we duelling with?"

"Are you familiar with the Tsurugi?" the Host asked, and as if on cue two assistants ascended onto the platform, each carrying a sword with an ornately carved handle with a square base.

_Apparently not, _Zuko thought as he took the weapon and weighed it up in his hands. It was beautifully wrought. _I thought a Tsurugi was a double-edged sword. Ah well, this is easier to fight with anyway._

The Host gestured for Kai to stand with him and Zuko and, after one more round of flexing his muscles for the ladies in the crowd, the duellist obliged.

"This is only a friendly duel," the Host told both of them, leaning into the space between the two young men. "No Bending. No stabbing, cutting or even poking if you can help it. First one on his knees is the loser. And, uh, Your Highness-" he cast an uneasy glance at Zuko "-it is customary to duel shirtless. If you have no objections."

Zuko shrugged and cast off his shirt, remembering a fraction of a second too late the raw, puckered flesh that formed the scar on his back, given to him by his little sister. He had quite a collection of scars from his family now. He wasn't ashamed of the scar by any means - it symbolised his dedication to Katara, his refusal to let her die, even if it meant giving up his own life. But there was a small, vain part of him that wondered sadly if the crowd would be repulsed.

When he looked up and around defiantly, he saw young women giggling, nudging each other and flat out staring at him. His gaze drifted over to Katara, whose eyes were averted. He couldn't mistake the smile on her face, though. It gave him strength, as it always did. He was duelling for her. Everything he had done these past couple of weeks had been for her.

"You ready?" he asked Kai roughly, turning his back and walking away to create a sizeable distance between them.

The sun shone down warmly on his bare chest, balancing out the cold stone he walked on that lay in shadow. He caught Katara's eye. She shook her head and rolled her eyes, before giving him a brief smile. It was as mixed a message that he always received off her.

He and Kai bowed, before each drew back the hand that held the sword. The circled each other, slowly stepping in so that they were in range. Zuko sensed rather than saw Kai's hesitance at striking a member of the Royal Family, and so, with a roll of his eyes, Zuko struck first.

It was a dull duel, compared to all the ones he had been in before…although perhaps this was a good thing. Zuko countered the attacks easily and clashed his sword with Kai's almost half-heartedly. Still, the crowds cheered and gasped.

Five minutes in and Zuko was on his way to losing the will to live, let alone the will to fight.

"I'll give you fifty gold pieces if you make this fight more interesting," he muttered to Kai, who grinned. "At least give me a bit of a challenge."

"As you wish."

Kai stood back and prodded the middle of the sword handle. He held the sword away from him just as another blade shot out of the bottom of the handle with a clinking noise. The stadium fell silent, before the gasps and mutters started up.

Zuko's eyebrow rose. He could honestly say he hadn't been expecting that.

"My sword does that too, right?"

Before he could answer his own question by pressing the handle, Kai had begun spinning the blades and was advancing fast. All was still for one moment. And then Zuko's adrenaline kicked in and he fought back.

* * *

Katara's mouth dropped open when the Tsurugi sword revealed its secret. Zuko said something to his opponent that was lost in the noise the audience made.

"_Idiot_," Katara hissed as the fight kicked up a gear.

Her fingers gripped the sides of the chair in anxiety and frustration as she watched the fight. She, like all of the females (and probably some of the males too) in the stadium, couldn't help but leer slightly when Zuko took his shirt off. She would've demanded he always fight shirtless if she'd known he looked like _that_.

It was irrational to fear for Zuko's safety, she knew that. She'd fought him enough times to know that he could hold his own and then some. But there was still a niggling doubt in the back of her mind, asking _what if he gets hurt? What if gets distracted and Kai accidentally stabs him? What it_-

As though the Spirits had heard Katara's unspoken fears, Zuko's blocking technique was a little delayed, and Kai - obviously expecting the Fire Lord to evade - sliced his arm with one of the blades. Katara sucked in air through her teeth and stood up quickly, her heart racing.

She couldn't see the extent of the damage, but Zuko didn't seem to be in pain. His hand lifted to his arm in surprise, before wiping at the cut and positioning himself to continue the fight.

Back on the ground, Zuko was unaware that the audience were holding their breath.

"What's the matter?" he asked when it became clear that Kai wasn't about to do anything.

"Your Highness, I'm so sorry," Kai gasped, his handsome face paling as he stared at Zuko's arm. "I beg your forgiveness."

He dropped to his knees and held his double-edged sword up to Zuko, who refused to take it and lowered the arm holding his own sword.

"Kind of over-reacting here, don't you think?" he muttered.

"I-I cut you," Kai said, his emerald eyes wide and horrified.

"It's my fault, I gave you an opening," Zuko told him. "Get up. Although I've technically won, since the first one on his knees is the loser and, well…" he gestured to Kai, who frowned.

"You're…not going to kill me?" Kai asked, cautious hope in his voice.

"I wasn't planning on doing, no," Zuko replied, confused. He held out a hand to help Kai up and the young man took it in wonder.

"I doubt there's been a Fire Lord quite like you," he said, bowing deeply.

"Yeah, I'm one of a kind," Zuko muttered ruefully as Kai almost sprinted over to the bewildered Host and spoke in low tones to him.

The Host turned to Zuko and gave him a broad smile.

_Did I do something? _Zuko asked himself. _Are you not supposed to spare someone's life when they offer it up over something so petty? Am I still in the Fire Nation?_

He looked up at Katara, who shrugged at him, her eyes narrowed in a suspicion that instantly put Zuko more on edge.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have found ourselves a rare breed on this beautiful day!" the Host boomed suddenly, making Zuko visibly jump.

Katara smirked slightly and Zuko, whose eyes hadn't moved from Katara, scowled at her, before what the Host said registered.

"Excuse me?" he asked, turning sharply to the speaker.

"Fire Lord Zuko has spared the life of one who disrespected him," the Host continued, gesturing to a sheepish Kai. "He won the duel not with threats and violence, as has been the custom with his Nation for so long - forgive me, Your Majesty," he added with a sly glance at Zuko, who shrugged. It was fair. "But with wit and cunning and mercy did he turn out supreme."

Everyone in the arena clapped and cheered, leaving Zuko and Katara in confusion. All Zuko knew was that he wasn't in trouble, and that meant everything was alright.

The Host bowed deeply to Zuko.

"You won the duel," he said, his teeth almost glinting as the sunlight hit them. "You are worthy of Lady Katara."

Zuko chuckled nervously. "I think she should be the judge of that." He looked back at Kai. "I owe you fifty gold pieces."

* * *

Katara was fuming by the time Zuko reached his seat to a rapturous applause that had been going on for at least five minutes. She fixed her stormy eyes on the Host and ignored Zuko as he sat down next to her,.

"Katara?"

"You're an _idiot_," she hissed, unable to contain her anger as she whirled around in her seat to face him. "You could've gotten yourself killed!"

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "Katara, you're being ridiculous. I held my own out there, I even told Kai to duel properly. There was no way I could've gotten…" He half-laughed, half-sighed. "It's because of my arm, isn't it?"

Zuko's calm golden eyes made Katara feel foolish, so she focused her attention back on the Host, who was making another speech now that the crowd had died down.

"If he was aiming to hurt you, he could've done," she said carefully. "And I don't like the fact that you feeling like you had to prove something to me got you hurt."

Zuko laid a hand over Katara's. It was such an unexpected move that it surprised them both, although Zuko tried to be casual about it. Katara turned to look at him but said nothing.

"Listen to me," Zuko instructed in a low voice. "I wasn't hurt, and even if I was, it was _my_ choice to go out there. You're not responsible for people getting hurt-" he cut himself off as realization dawned.

Of course she would feel responsible. She took it on herself to care for everyone and keep them safe. She'd been doing this before Ba Sing Se, maybe even back in the Southern Water Tribe, and the Avatar's brief death must've just intensified her urge to protect those around her. He felt a sudden, immense rush of pity for her. The worry she carried around with her must be suffocating.

"What's the matter?"

"You know that, right?" Zuko asked, squeezing her hand gently. "You know that you can't stop people from getting hurt?"

"I can stop myself from hurting Aang," she murmured, taking her hand away from his.

Zuko nodded as guilt and frustration circled around each other. They didn't speak to each other again until the intermission, an hour later, when Katara gasped and cursed.

"I didn't heal you!"

Zuko glanced at her, amused. "Did you just _swear_?"

"Shut up," she muttered, drawing water out of her pouch and settling it around Zuko's arm.

"You could've asked me first," Zuko grumbled, feeling the cool water constrict, cleaning away the dirt in the shallow cut and slowly knitting the skin back together.

"Why? You would've just said no."

Zuko shrugged as Katara retracted the water. The skin was as good as new and Zuko wondered, as he had so often, if the scar on his face could have disappeared or at least faded by the use of Katara's Spirit Oasis Water. He doubted it, but there was always the _if_ that haunted him. If he ever found himself back in the Spirit Oasis, he'd throw himself in face first and see what happened.

"Do you want some…" Zuko trailed off as he leant forward to see what the vendors on the platform were selling. He pulled a face. "_Toasted platypus-bear_?"

Katara pulled a face. "No, thank you. I think I'd rather go with Sokka's cooking." The amused expression Zuko pulled abruptly dropped when she added, "Or your tea."

"My tea isn't that bad!"

Katara looked sympathetic. "It really is. You're just in denial. Sorry."

"That's the last time I duel for your honor," Zuko muttered.

"Good."

_It isn't your place to_, Katara almost added, but stopped herself. She didn't know why; she was with Aang. If anyone, it should be he who fought to defend her. But at this moment in time she didn't want to be reminded about the boyfriend she only thought about when her conscience told her not to get too close to Zuko.

"Although, thank you, I suppose," she said quietly. "For volunteering, I mean. You didn't have to, and at least this way I wasn't pledging my heart to some random citizen."

"Right, you were just pledging your heart to me instead."

An awkward moment fell between them, broken only when Zuko laughed uncomfortably.

"I think you'd have been better off with some random citizen."

"But then he'd have to duel Aang and we all know that wouldn't end well," Katara reminded him, trying to turn the conversation to a lighter note.

"Guess it's a good thing I stepped in, then," Zuko said with a nod.

"Yep."

Silence descended again. It was ironic, Katara decided, given that after Ba Sing Se she had a list a thousand miles long of things she wanted to say to Zuko, but now she had nothing.

They were both quite relieved when the second act of the festival began, although Katara's relief quickly turned to horror when a group of familiar faces emerged.

The last few months hadn't changed the band of travellers; aside from their slightly more dishevelled clothing and longer hair, Chong, his wife Lily and their friends seemed as carefree and oblivious as usual.

"Oh, no," Katara muttered. "I know these guys."

Zuko raised his eyebrow at the appearance of the nomads as they traipsed onto the platform, carrying their instruments behind them.

"How, exactly, do you know them?"

"We got trapped in a cave with them a little after the Siege of the North," Katara said, trying to shrink down in her chair so Chong and the others would spot her.

No such luck.

"Hey Katara!" Chong yelled at her, lifting a hand lazily in greeting.

"Hello Chong," Katara answered wearily.

"We don't usually do bookings," Chong said, addressing the rest of the stadium, who regarded him with derision and amusement. "But the wind, like, _carried_ us to Ba Sing Se and we, uh, we just wanted to be a part of something with this much love in it."

"Has he been smoking something?" Zuko asked Katara quietly.

"Probably."

Chong introduced himself and his group, who all waved and beamed as their name was called out. Finally, Chong gave the signal for everyone to begin playing, and Katara's palm met her face as she recognized the tune.

"This is the song they sang before we entered the cave," Katara muttered.

"_Two lovers, forbidden from one another, a war divides their people and a mountain divides them apart. Built a path to be together…and died_."

"You went in the cave knowing people died there?" Zuko asked Katara incredulously.

"He forgot that part of the song until we were trapped inside," Katara replied, her voice muffled as she dipped her head.

"Convenient."

"Shut up."

"_Secret tunnel! Secret tunnel! Through the mountains, secret secret secret secret…uh…_" he paused for a moment before snapping his fingers, "_secret tunnel!_"

There was polite, if not bewildered, applause.

"Did he seriously just forget the last two words?" Zuko asked, frowning.

"Probably." Katara smiled as she remembered. "He really irritated Sokka when we met him."

"I'm not surprised, he's kind of irritating me," Zuko said.

"Thanks guys," Chong said with a slow grin, squinting against the sunlight. "This next one we call…well, we don't really call it anything, I'm kind of gonna make it up as I go along." He cleared his throat and up sprang from his group another tune. "_Once there were crops and barley and rye, then the Fire Nation came and made them all die_."

Katara saw Zuko wriggle uncomfortably in his seat.

"_Then the Avatar went and things looked bad, 'cause after that the power went mad. But when he came back, things no longer looked grave, until I got him trapped in a really big cave._"

Katara pressed her lips together to stop herself from laughing. A few of the audience members chuckled. Even Zuko looked amused.

"_But then he got out and won the big fight, shining like a star in an endless night_."

There was another round of clapping.

"The last line as actually pretty good," Zuko said as he applauded. "The rest made no sense, but I guess we shouldn't expect too much from a guy who blinks that much."

Katara glanced down and smiled. It was true, Chong was blinking rapidly, like he was confused as to where he was and why people were clapping.

"Uh…thanks," he called with a shrug. He turned to his friends. "You want to get out of here?"

"Sure," they replied, and wandered off the platform casually, occasionally looking back and waving to people, including Katara.

"That was…surreal," Zuko commented as the Host introduced the next act, a juggling bear. "Don't suppose you have a master plan to get us out of here, do you?"

"You're not enjoying yourself." It wasn't a question. She sighed. "Fair enough, you've endured a couple of hours at least."

"I'll stay if you want," Zuko said quickly, laying a hand on her arm as she made to stand up to leave.

Katara froze for a moment, before settling back down.

"Zuko," she sighed, throwing a pointed glance at his hand on her arm.

"Sorry," he muttered, taking his hand away.

"Don't be," Katara told him softly. He refused to look at her and she sighed again. "It's just…Aang."

"I know."

"Do you?"

He looked at her out of the corner of his non-scarred eye.

"I mean," Katara continued quietly, her forehead creasing as she stared down at her hands, "you could've stayed with Mai."

She remembered what he had said to her during their confrontation over Mari Su.

_To be _so close_ to you and yet it might as well be a thousand miles because I know that you're with someone else!_

"Even if you…" a faint blush attacked her cheeks. "Even if you wanted to be with someone else."

"Why?" Zuko asked, frowning. "That's just cruel."

Katara sighed. "Is that how you see me?"

He didn't answer straight away, and she didn't blame him. After all, it was how she saw herself. She enjoyed Zuko's company too much to stop seeing him, even knowing his feelings for her and being in denial about her own feelings. She was just selfish, she supposed. But she had spent so long worrying about other people and their needs, that it felt good just to think about herself. No more considering the consequences of every move, no more lying awake at night fearing for her life.

"I get that you don't want to hurt Aang," Zuko told her slowly, watching the juggling bear on the platform but not really seeing it. "But it's difficult being passed over when I'm doing everything I can to get you to notice me."

"I do notice you!" Katara lifted her head to scowl at Zuko. "That's the problem! I wish I didn't because then I wouldn't feel so bad!"

Zuko opened his mouth and closed it again. Frustration burned in his eyes, but he just set his mouth into a firm line and turned his attention back to the bear.

"Let's just watch the show."

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hey guys, sorry about the random finishing point there. I was rambling and figured I should stop myself before the chapter got any longer.**

**Please don't judge my song writing abilities on the 'Crops, Barley and Rye' song XD**

**Thank you very much for your reviews, they're greatly appreciated when my head is about to explode from stress over University applications.**

**Next chapter has a Toph and Aang update, plus Sukka. **

**I feel like I always say the same thing when replying to reviews, so I may start asking questions…hmm, question number one, what's your favourite song?**

**Have a great week (:**

**- Momo**


	8. Paint The Darkness With Your Light

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

* * *

There was another carriage waiting for them once the festival had finished three hours later. It had been enjoyable enough, with more entertainers and comedians following the juggling bear. Zuko and Katara had steered clear of any topics that could lead or even relate to relationships, instead keeping it safe with insipid comments.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Zuko asked, offering his hand for Katara to take as she stepped up to the carriage.

"Yeah, thanks," Katara answered, settling herself down on the seat. It had wearied her out, sitting down and being entertained. She watched Zuko climb in after her. "Was it as horrible as you thought it would be?"

"The ordinary bear was a surprise," Zuko answered, nodding out at a guard who closed the door after them. "But I can't complain about the weather or the entertainment." He smiled. "Or the company."

Katara could either respond with something that she'd feel guilty for later, or joke about it. She chose the latter.

"Speak for yourself, I was with this guy who got his butt kicked in a swordfight!"

Zuko raised his eyebrow. "Yeah, I saw that. Although I'm pretty sure that guy _did_ the butt-kicking."

Katara shrugged. "Then we were watching different fights."

"Maybe you meant the fight where the guy got a little cut but still won anyway?" Zuko suggested, jerking forward slightly as the carriage set off.

Katara automatically shot out a hand to steady him. It settled on his arm.

"Thanks," he muttered, drawing his arm away slightly, so that he didn't offend her but that she got the message anyway.

"No problem," she replied, dropping her hand and turning to stare out of the window.

Was Zuko going to avoid all physical contact now? No, because he'd given her his hand to help her into the carriage. Was _she_ not allowed to touch _him_? Was Zuko being like this so Katara didn't have to feel guilty about Aang, or was he doing it as some sort of stupid protest? As ever, Katara had no idea what he was thinking.

* * *

"What're you thinking about?" Toph asked, lying flat on her back on Appa's saddle as they flew through the air and away from Ba Sing Se.

"Katara," Aang answered dreamily from his position on Appa's head.

Toph rolled her eyes. Of course. Now that Twinketoes didn't have saving the world to dwell on, he could daydream about his little girlfriend all he wanted. Pity she was daydreaming about someone else.

"So where's this hole in the ground we're off to?" she asked, changing the topic before Aang could go on about Katara.

"Somewhere called Siyu," Aang called back. "I don't know where it is exactly, but apparently it's just past the desert. We might've even passed it when we first came to Ba Sing Se."

"Yeah, because we would've passed a village in the middle of the desert and _not _visited it? Do you not remember how low on water we were?"

Aang shrugged uncomfortably. "Most of the time I wasn't…I mean, things with Appa were-"

Toph held up a hand. "Say no more." When Aang seemed to take her instruction to heart, she pursed her lips. This would be a boring trip if Twinkletoes wouldn't commit to a conversation. "So…Siyu's having trouble adjusting to Zuzu being in control? Can't say it fills me with optimism either." When Aang still didn't reply, she groaned loudly. "What's the matter with you?"

"I feel bad about leaving Katara with Zuko," Aang said, deftly climbing up Appa's neck to take a place next to Toph.

"Somehow, I don't think she'll mind."

Aang smiled and traced shapes in Appa's saddle. "Yeah, she's so selfless."

_Not really what I meant, _Toph thought. _And what's with the hero worship? Sugar Queen isn't perfect. Zuko sure doesn't treat her like she is. Then again, Zuko's been on the receiving end of Water Tribe Wrath, so that's kind of understandable._

"So are you depending on Appa's sense of smell to guide us to Siyu?" Toph asked sarcastically.

"I would've asked for a map, but it would've been something along the lines of _turn left at the seventy sixth pile of sand_ and, well…"

Toph sighed. "I'm guessing you're gesturing down at all the sand we're passing over?"

Aang guiltily drew his arm back in as Toph grinned. Why did he keep on forgetting that Toph was blind? It wasn't like her milky eyes weren't a constant reminder. He supposed it was because she was so able; he'd always assumed that blind people would be helpless, just like Toph's parents had assumed about their own daughter.

"I wasn't," Aang tried to insist anyway.

"Liar."

There was weary affection in Toph's tone, not that Aang would ever notice. She smiled sadly.

"What's wrong?" Aang asked.

Toph shook her head. "Nothing. Want to play I Spy?"

"Yeah, sure, I love-!" Aang frowned. "Wait..."

Toph chuckled and playfully punched him on the arm.

* * *

The carriage took them back to the house first. It rumbled to a stop, and Katara and Zuko sat in awkward silence.

"Do you mind if I-?"

"Do you want to-?"

Katara smiled weakly and gestured for Zuko to go first. He cleared his throat and looked straight ahead, as though shy or embarrassed.

"Sokka and Suki might not be back for awhile, and I don't like the idea of you being in the house by yourself. Do you mind if I wait with you?"

"Of course not," Katara replied with a smile. "You're welcome at the house anytime, you know that. I can get out myself, thanks," she added as Zuko moved to assist her.

She demonstrated this ability and waited for Zuko to get out, smiling at the driver as she did.

"We should really all hang out at the Dragon more often," she mused as they walked to the front door together. "There's free tea."

"Like you've had to pay for anything while you've been here." Zuko's eyebrow quirked upwards as Katara unlocked the door.

"Free tea that's already made," Katara corrected herself as the welcoming scent of their house washed over her. "Come on in. Do you want anything?"

"I'm fine."

"I should probably start dinner…"

"Let someone else do it."

Katara turned as she heard Zuko settle onto one of the seats. "Are you suggesting I blow off my responsibilities?"

"Yes."

Katara considered this for a moment before shrugging and sitting on the couch. "Okay."

Zuko smiled slightly. "If only you'd always been that easy to convince."

"If only."

Katara wasn't entirely sure what he had meant, and had the feeling that she shouldn't ask. She felt as though she should start a conversation, but she couldn't think of anything to say. The silence wasn't uncomfortable, it was just _there_.

"I'm going to get a snack," Katara announced, standing up. "Raw fish with herbs sound good to you?"

"I'm not that hungry. And raw fish sounds like a meal, not a snack."

Katara placed her thumb and forefinger an inch apart. "It's little fish. Tiny fish. Baby fish, you might say. With really small herbs. Baby herbs-"

"I think I get the picture," Zuko interrupted, his golden eyes shining in amusement. "Baby fish with really small herbs sounds good." He followed her into the kitchen and leant against a counter under a window while she retrieved the fish from a cupboard she'd coated in ice.

"That's clever," Zuko noted. When Katara turned to look at him, he nodded at the cupboard. "Keeping your food chilled like that. Was that your idea?"

"It was Sokka's," Katara replied, a hint of pride in her voice. "I just stepped in with the magic ice, as he called it." She set down the fish on a wooden chopping board, making sure her hands were clean. "I'm not making this all by myself," she hinted, Waterbending the water away from her so that it hovered near Zuko.

"I'm not a good cook," Zuko said, eyeing the water as though he expected it to leap and attack him at any moment. "I don't want to ruin the snack."

Katara rolled her eyes as she retrieved a blade from another cupboard. "It's slicing and dicing. You've done more complicated things in your sleep, I'm sure."

She handed him the blade, which he reluctantly took.

"Great," Katara commented happily. "Now wash your hands."

"How am I supposed to do that with a knife in my hand?" Zuko complained, waving it about for emphasis.

"Because you're Fire Lord Zuko, and you won't let a little multi-tasking get the better of you."

Zuko opened his mouth to retaliate, but couldn't think of anything. She had him there. In a small act of rebellion, he set the blade down before washing his hands.

"You're lucky we don't work in a serving house," Katara said, selecting herbs and spices from one of Sokka's holding racks (which was admittedly poorly made, but he had tried) and considering the labels on each. She had marked them all herself the first time they were in Ba Sing Se in an effort to distract herself from the anxiety that had been building and the unanswered questions that kept her awake at night. Where was Appa? How would Aang cope if they didn't find him? Where was Zuko? Was Azula coming after them? Was she already in the city?

"Why?"

"Because then I'd make you tie your hair back," Katara answered with a laugh, shaking herself out of the past.

"The horror," Zuko muttered, neatly slicing off the fish's head. "What herbs are you putting on the fish?"

Katara bit her lip. She really had no idea. She'd forgotten what the labels meant. She knew she should've put names on instead of little marks. She turned to Zuko and smiled brightly.

"It's a surprise."

Zuko raised his eyebrow but didn't say anything. He focused back on the fish he was mutilating and frowned. He was the _Fire Lord_. Why was he doing a cook's work? The fish should at least be pre-cubed. He shook his head. He was doing it to make Katara happy. That girl would be the death of him. The scar on his back gave a twinge as though in disagreement. He had survived a lightning bolt from Azula, he could probably survive anything after that.

"I've been thinking," Katara said, twisting open a jar to inspect its contents. "I want to go back to the Water Tribe before you…go back to the Fire Nation." It was a difficult sentence for her to get out, but she didn't know why. "I thought you could come with me. You know, make a speech or something. And you can meet my family in some other situation than war or you invading our village."

Zuko continued slicing evenly, the only sound in the now-silent kitchen.

"You don't want to." It wasn't a question, although Katara hoped for a denial.

"It isn't that," Zuko murmured, keeping his eyes fixed downward. He took a deep breath. "I want to find my mother."

* * *

_Was I right about leaving Katara with Zuko?_ Aang wondered as Appa made his slow descent into a town that could only be Siyu. _She'll be bored with him. They'll have nothing to do, nothing to talk about._

He stifled the voice that whispered that Katara and Zuko had a lot more in common than he realized, and turned around to Toph. Her dark hair flew about in the wind as she lay on her back. Her eyes were closed.

"Hey, sleepyhead, wake up!" Aang called back with a smile. Toph looked almost innocent when she was asleep.

The flurry of curse words that flew out of her mouth quickly reminded Aang that she was anything but.

"You need to stop hanging about with Sokka," Aang muttered. "He's a bad influence." He raised his voice so that Toph could hear him. "We're almost there, get up!"

He turned back to the front just as Appa touched down on the sand a couple of hundred feet away from the town. Aang dismounted and sighed. The sooner this was over with, the sooner he could be back with Katara.

Toph jumped down into the sand and shuddered, although the heat was beating down on them.

"Twinkletoes, take my arm, would you? I can't see very well here. Stupid sand."

Aang nodded and looped his arm through hers. He turned back to Appa. "Follow us, buddy."

He was taking no chances with any Sandbenders that may be lurking and Katara wasn't around to calm him down if he went into the Avatar State. They began to trudge through the sand; the midday sun was merciless and Toph was soon complaining.

"You know what?" she said when they were almost at the large metal gates of the town. "If Siyu have a problem with Zuzu, let them sort it out themselves. Or not! They can't be that big of a town if they're in the middle of the desert."

"If Kuei thought it was important enough to send us over, it deserves looking at." Aang squinted and saw someone standing in the shadows of the gates. They waved. "Someone's there."

"I should hope so, we didn't come for the pleasure of each other's company."

Toph sincerely hoped that Aang attributed the blush creeping up her cheeks to the heat and nothing else.

"Hello there!" Aang shouted, causing Toph to wince back.

"Ouch! My ears work perfectly fine, Twinkletoes, there's no need to scream down them!"

"Sorry," Aang whispered. Toph felt his body shake as he used his free arm to wave at the stranger.

They reached the cool shade at last and Toph reluctantly let go of Aang's arm. Her 'vision' was fuzzy, but she knew there'd be stone once they were inside of the town. At least, she hoped so, otherwise she'd be really blind the whole time she was there.

"Avatar, you grace us with your presence," the voice, belonging to a woman, said, the usual tones of reverence present.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Aang replied. "This is my friend, Toph."

"Hello there, Toph," the woman said very slowly. "My name is Aya. I hope we can be friends."

Toph scowled. "Talk to me like that again, Sweetness, and I'll break your arm."

Aya's sharp intake of breath told Toph she had succeeded in letting the woman know that blindness didn't equal idiocy. It was sad how many people Toph had come across that had believed that, although she'd never been able to say anything to them. Her parents would've been shocked to hear their _precious little baby _spit such venom.

"So Siyu has a problem with Fire Lord Zuko?" Aang asked quickly, his words breaking the silence.

"Y-Yes," Aya stammered, still stunned by the tiny blind girl's outburst. "You'd better come inside."

* * *

Katara frowned slightly into the jar of herbs. "But I thought your mother-"

"Ozai told me that she was still alive," Zuko answered, carving the fish viciously as he remembered the interaction with his father. "Just before I joined you, on the Day of Black Sun, he told me."

Katara set down the jar with a soft clink and faced Zuko. Her mouth hung slightly open and her eyes were unreadable.

"You've known all this time?" she asked quietly, watching him. "And you chose to help Aang rather than find her?"

Zuko nodded stiffly and carried on mechanically slicing until he was fairly certain he was cutting into the wooden chopping board. He didn't stop until he felt a light touch on his arm. He glanced up. Katara was standing very close to him, her eyes filled with a mixture of wonder and confusion. She seemed at a loss for words, so Zuko answered the unspoken question.

"I had to stop being selfish," he said, staring out of the window. "If Aang didn't stop Ozai in time, there wouldn't be a world worth living in. The plan was to teach Aang Firebending then go off to find my mother." He smiled. "But I found a reason to stay." He looked at her. "Does that make me a terrible person?"

"Not at all," Katara assured him. They stood almost chest to chest, even as Zuko turned away again. Katara breathed in his smoky scent. "You know, Sokka and I had the chance to see our dad awhile back. You remember when you came after us with that bounty hunter who had that creature that sniffed everything?"

"The Xirxui," Zuko answered, smiling faintly.

"Yeah." Katara wrinkled her nose as she remembered the beast. "Well, Sokka and I had left Aang to go find our dad. You caught us just as we were going back to Aang."

"Why did you change your minds?"

"We realized that our duty to Aang was more important than seeing Dad," Katara said gently. "You can't be selfish when there's a war on." She laughed softly. "I still can't believe you passed up the chance to find your mom just to help Aang."

Zuko moved his head away from the window so that he could focus on her. The sunlight streaming through the window caught his hair, making the strands closest to it gleam.

"I found a reason to stay," he repeated, his voice low. "I was going to ask you to help search with me before…before the Comet."

Katara lowered her eyes. "Right. The Comet."

Zuko lifted a hesitant hand and very slowly tucked a piece of Katara's hair behind her ear. Katara closed her eyes at his touch and sighed lightly. His fingers grazed the side of her cheek and when he spoke, his voice was heavy.

"I wish-"

A loud banging interrupted him, making them both jump. They instinctively leant in towards each other, their heads snapping to the direction of the noise.

"Suki, I broke the door!" Sokka wailed from outside.

Katara released the breath she didn't know she'd been holding. Her heart thumping quickly, she stepped back from Zuko.

"What _now_?" Zuko hissed, glaring daggers at where he imagined Sokka to be.

"I should probably go and check on him," Katara said, slipping out of the kitchen without meeting Zuko's eyes.

Shaking her head at what almost happened, Katara made her way to the front door. She could hear Sokka mumbling something incoherently on the other side of the door. She opened it with a frown, only to be nearly knocked down when Sokka rushed at her.

"Katara!" he shouted happily, throwing his arms around her neck. His breath stank of stale drink.

Katara threw her brother off her, appalled. "Are you _drunk_?" she demanded. Her wide eyes flicked to Suki who confirmed her suspicions with a nod. "The sun's barely gone down!"

"What's going on?" Zuko asked, watching the scene with a raised eyebrow and a smile tugging at his lips.

"Sokka, once again, is proving himself to be a _great_ role model to his…" she trailed off as she half-helped, half-dragged Sokka over to the couch, "impressionable…" she dumped him down, "little sister!"

"Sish," Sokka said, grinning like an idiot as he slurred his words. "I am _not_ drink!"

Katara folded her arms and narrowed her eyes as Sokka struggled to get himself into an upright position on the couch.

"You're not 'drink,' huh?"

Suki shuffled up and sat beside her boyfriend, while Zuko joined Katara.

"We passed a bar this morning," she explained to Katara, her head bowed guiltily as though she was being told off. "Some guys recognized Sokka and insisted on buying him a drink. One drink turned to two and pretty soon he was…" She gestured to Sokka, who was trying to cuddle up to her. "Cut it out," she ordered firmly. Sokka shrank back, pouting.

"Suki got bought drinks 'cause she's a big hero as well!" Sokka told Zuko and Katara, his tone indicating that he believed he was ratting her out.

"No, sweetie, I got bought drinks because I'm pretty." She looked at Katara and shrugged. "People don't tend to recognize me unless I'm in full Kyoshi get-up." Her eyes lit up mischievously and she turned back to Sokka. "Hey, remember when we first met and I made you wear the ceremonial clothes before I taught you how to fight? Remember how much fun that was? Wouldn't you like to do that again?"

Sokka lifted one shoulder up lazily. "I dunno." He pulled a face. "That dress made me look fat!"

Katara covered her mouth to try to stifle the giggles that were coming. Zuko pressed his lips together, but Sokka still spotted the smirk on them and scowled.

"What, like you've never worn a dress to impress a girl?"

"Yes, it's up there with putting on makeup and dancing. And I seem to remember you had the makeup part down."

Sokka stood up and wavered about unsteadily. He prodded Zuko in the chest, almost pushing himself back down as he did.

"They were cerry…cerra…"

"Ceremonial?" Suki offered. She and Katara exchanged an eye-roll.

"Yeah!"

"I think he should get some sleep," Suki said to Katara, standing up and taking Sokka gently by the arm. "Come on."

Sokka staggered away, leaning on Suki who could just about take his weight. When he had almost reached the hallway leading to his bedroom, he stopped and turned.

"I love you guys! Zuko, Mai was crazy to break up with you! If I weren't with Suki, or a guy, or you weren't into that girl with the big, uh, brains, then I would _totally_ date you."

"Uh…thank you?" Zuko wasn't entirely sure what to say, although he was annoyed that Sokka _still _refused to believe that he had broken up with Mai, not the other way around.

Sokka gave a feeble thumbs up. "Anytime, buddy. Ouch!"

Suki had gripped Sokka's arm tightly as she led him away. Zuko and Katara could hear her quizzing him about the girl in question, before the bedroom door slammed shut.

"I think my brother just hit on you," Katara said, staring after Sokka and Suki.

"Guess that means I'm popular with both the Water Tribe siblings," Zuko mused. "I was kidding," he added in exasperation after Katara looked away awkwardly.

"We've still got the fish to sort out," she said, heading back to the kitchen.

"Sokka's going to have a headache in the morning," Zuko said, following her.

"Serves him right," Katara answered promptly. "It's his own fault if he can't hold his drink. You should've seen him when he was on Cactus Juice." She reached the kitchen and stared at the fish. "Why have you tortured the fish?"

"It was already dead," Zuko pointed out. "Plus, you were distracting me."

"I was-?" Katara began, blushing as she got the wrong end of the stick.

"By talking about my mom," Zuko clarified. "Anyway, they're not that bad."

He looked at the bloody cubes of fish doubtfully. Maybe if he sliced off the scales and removed the bones they would be a little less unappealing.

"Come here," Katara sighed, drawing water and dousing the fish cubes. "You're useless."

"I've been told," Zuko muttered, making Katara instantly feel bad.

"I was kidding," she said, wincing. "Sorry. Bad thing to say." She set the wet fish down onto the chopping board and turned back to the herbs so that he couldn't see her face. "Although…you've proved whoever told you that wrong. You're anything but worthless."

Zuko smiled to himself but didn't say anything.

* * *

"Zuko," Katara began an hour later, setting aside her clean plate on the low table in front of her and reclining on the couch they were sharing. "Would you rather fight Momo if he had the entire Earth Kingdom army behind him or Appa if he had the Fire Nation one?"

Zuko stopped chewing his last mouthful of (surprisingly good considering the mess he'd made of chopping it up) fish and stared at Katara as though she'd lost her mind.

"That's just stupid," he settled for saying and resumed eating.

He'd lit several lanterns around the living room and they had eaten by flickering candlelight. Zuko could've made more light if he'd wanted to, but in truth he hadn't. In the soft, romantic light he could pretend that he and Katara were sharing something more than a snack.

"Would you rather be trapped in a block of ice forever or a block of earth?" Katara tried again.

"I'm not answering these questions," Zuko told her, swallowing his snack and setting his dish on top of Katara's.

"Would you rather not be able to read or not be able to write if you could only do one?"

"Write," he answered almost instantly. "The Fire Lord has scribes to write the things he says down, anyway."

"You like reading, then?" Katara asked, looking at him as though his answer was the most important thing to her.

"What's with all the questions?"

Katara shrugged quickly. "No reason. Sorry."

"I want to know," he said, although there was no authority in his voice like the way he used to speak to her.

"I just want to get to know you better," Katara murmured, her gaze shifting from Zuko's. "You're a difficult person to figure out."

"My mother used to read me Fire Nation folklore before I went to bed when I was a kid," Zuko told her, answering her question. "She taught me to read. My father insisted that that wasn't her job, that it should be left up to the people he employed to teach Azula and I." He smiled grimly. "This one time, Azula-" He cut himself off abruptly with a quick glance at Katara.

As much as Katara hated the Fire Nation Princess, she knew that it must pain Zuko not to share happy memories about the sister he had lost to insanity. At the end of the day, they were family, and family came before everything.

"Azula what?" Katara asked, summoning up a smile and trying not to spit out the name.

Zuko gave her a curious smile before continuing. "Azula began correcting our tutor when she was about eight years old. She'd pick up on the smallest fact he got wrong and spend half an hour berating him for it." His face softened. "She could've been anything she wanted to be."

"So could you," Katara told him, surprised at the sadness that welled up inside her at the thought of that little girl who lost her way so badly.

Zuko scoffed and shook his head. "She was a Firebending prodigy, smart, beautiful, ruthless, cunning…everything I wasn't."

"You wouldn't be here today if you weren't those things too," Katara insisted.

Zuko's features hardened in the dim light. "My father said Azula was born lucky. He said I was lucky to be born."

"And where are your father and Azula now?" Katara asked, tilting her head to one side slightly as she regarded Zuko. "More importantly, where are you? You're Fire Lord, you've put a stop to a war that's been going on for over a century and you're about to help reunite the Nations. I think you pretty much surpassed all expectations with that. You were everything the world could've hoped for in a Fire Nation Prince, and you'll be even better as Fire Lord."

Zuko looked lost in thought for a moment. "Thank you."

They talked long into the night. Katara asked more irrelevant questions to which Zuko answered and then asked his own. They talked about their families, about the friends they had had as children, about the people they had lost and the people they missed.

Suki ended up staying the night to care for Sokka, and when she and her very hung-over boyfriend entered the living room the next morning, they found the couple asleep on the couch, Katara snuggled comfortably under the arm which Zuko had wrapped around her.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hello all, hope you enjoyed the chapter. Sorry about the limited Toph/Aang scenes, I****'****ve never written Taang before and I****'****m trying to make it believable. You'll just have to bare with me.**

**Thank you very much to my reviewers, you guys are really appreciated! (: You keep me smiling despite all the applying-to-University drama that's going on at the moment.**

**The 'Would You Rather' game comes from the lunch hours/free periods at Sixth Form where my friends and I play (an admittedly Rated R version of) the game. It gets very odd, believe me.**

**So now comes random question number two...with emphasis on the _random _part: would you rather kiss a squirrel's back or lick a toad? ****Just remember, if you lick a toad, you're licking every toad that toad's ever been with (points if you get the reference!)**

**On that strange note, I bid you farewell and hope you have a great week (:**

**- Momo**


	9. Hold Me Close

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

* * *

Aya led Aang and Toph into the town of Siyu, narrating occasionally with interesting but ultimately irrelevant facts.

"The man who became the Earth King seventy five years ago was born here," Aya said. "His family moved to Ba Sing Se three days after he was born, but still, his roots lie here."

"Fascinating," Toph drawled.

Smooth stone covered the sand beneath them, so at least she could see here, although that did nothing to boost her dark mood. From what she could tell, the town was sizeable, but still nothing worth coming out for. Still, she trusted Aang's judgement and the sooner they got things sorted, the sooner they could go back to the comfort of their house in Ba Sing Se.

"The Town Hall is just down here," Aya replied, the disapproval in her voice making Toph smile. "If you'll just follow me."

"I think I've made a friend," Toph said to Aang, grinning.

"Just try not to insult any of the townspeople and we should be okay," Aang answered, nodding awkwardly at all said townspeople who gaped at him as he walked by. Sometimes he wished he had hair again, just for the chance to go by unnoticed; the bright blue arrow on his forehead was kind of a giveaway as to who he was.

"So, what's your Mayor called?" Aang asked Aya, glancing twice at a group of children with dark hair and pallid complexions.

They turned a corner and all of a sudden everything around them was silent. Tall trees with spiky leaves lined the street, and in the space between each of them stood a stern-looking guard, clutching a fierce spear and dressed in armor that they must be sweltering in. At the end of the row was a building grander than the rest, with spires that reached towards the clear blue sky.

"Qin," Aya replied, oblivious to Aang's surprise at the drastic change of scenery. "We also took the liberty of calling all the other Town Leaders who oppose a treaty with the Fire Nation."

"There isn't a treaty," Toph corrected. "We just won't kill each other anymore."

Aya smiled almost patronisingly. "Dear child, you're too young to understand the complexities of peace. Nothing is that straightforward."

Toph pulled a face. The woman was, what, eleven years older than she was? Like she could talk down to her like that.

"How many other Town Leaders?" Aang asked, and Toph knew him well enough to detect the nervousness in his tone.

"Fifteen," Aya answered cheerfully as Aang's eyes widened. "There's Lentok and his wife Lehnah from the East, Xai and Xei from the West - twins, you know," she added. "You don't want to get on the wrong side of them. And then there's-"

"Not to be rude, but I won't remember all of the names," Aang cut in before Aya could reel off the rest of the list. "I'll stick to addressing Qin and then I'll let everyone introduce themselves."

"They'll find you quite rude," Aya warned. "It's really best to know their names beforehand. So, yes, there's Qin, Lentok, Lehnah, Xai, Xei, Arisu…"

Toph could tell that Aang had stopped listening. His heart was pounding in his chest and his nerves almost radiated off his skin. Without thinking, she took his hand and squeezed it tightly. His skin was clammy despite the heat, but it didn't bother Toph. His heartbeat decreased the slightest bit, and she almost glowed thinking that she gave him comfort.

"Wish Katara was here," Aang whispered to her, as Aya continued rattling off the names. "She'd know what to do."

Toph abruptly dropped his hand.

* * *

Katara woke up slowly. Her limbs were stiff, her neck was in an uncomfortable position and her pillow felt different. Come to think of it, her bed felt strange and-

_Oh Spirits she'd fallen asleep on Zuko._

Her eyes shot open in horror. How had that happened? She tried to keep as still as she could while figuring out a way to get out of this without waking Zuko up.

"You okay? You've kind of stopped breathing."

Embarrassed, Katara let go of the breath she'd been holding. How long had Zuko been awake? This could be awkward.

"I'm fine," she said, her voice coming out more like a croak than she would've wanted. "Uh…" She genuinely could not think of anything to say. 'Hey, get off me' seemed a little harsh whereas she felt nowhere near comfortable enough with the situation to make a joke out of it. She moved her head and Zuko, getting the message, removed his arm from around her shoulders. Katara sat up straight and awkward silence descended.

"You been awake for long?" she asked, smoothing down her dress in discomfort.

"Not really. I woke up at sunrise but I didn't want to wake you up, so I just went back to sleep." A thought struck him, and he glanced anxiously sideways, his clear golden eyes glinting. "Should I have woken you up?"

"No, no, I was comfortable. I mean, I've slept far worse places than next to you. Disused Air Temple, bunch of damp leaves, block of ice…it was great when we got offered a bed for the night in a nearby town. Well, before we got into trouble had to leave it, anyway." Katara knew she was rambling, and closed her mouth tightly before she could spew any more nonsense.

"You had to leave because of me?" Zuko guessed.

"You'd be surprised at how often we had to leave because of Sokka," Katara corrected with a grin. "The boy just can't seem to keep his mouth shut."

"I've noticed."

"Yeah."

Once the silence became unbearable, Katara decided that she had to move this along. Offer him some breakfast? No, then he'd stay even longer. She was ashamed of herself right now; she felt like she was betraying Aang somehow, despite doing everything to stop herself.

"You should get back to Iroh," she said after a moment more, standing up to emphasise her point. She knew she was being rude, but at that moment she didn't care. "He's probably wondering where you are."

Zuko looked at her for a long moment, his eyes unreadable. Then he shrugged and stood up.

"Mind if I freshen up first?"

Katara nodded and gestured out of the room. "You know where the bathroom is. There should be some water in a tub, but it'll be freezing so you'll have to warm it up."

"I think it's better off cold," Zuko muttered, walking away without a backwards glance. "See you later."

He washed quickly, trying not to dwell on what he had done to annoy Katara. When he came out of the bathroom, she was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

It was probably very cowardly to hide in the kitchen, Katara knew that, but she had to get her thoughts in order. Zuko had really opened up to her last night, and it had changed the way she saw him. Gone forever was the way she used to think of him, as a selfish, cruel boy, and here was someone she could trust, a mature young man. It had given her a new perspective on things…including her relationship with Aang.

There was a quiet knock on the door, and she jumped, narrowly avoiding hitting her head on a cabinet.

"It's just me," Suki said softly through the door. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," Katara answered, pulling the door open for her friend. "It's a free country, right?"

"Thanks to us," Suki grinned. She glanced furtively behind her before closing the door. "You hiding from anyone I know?"

Katara tried to scoff and look derisive. "I'm not hiding!"

Suki raised her eyebrows and leant against the counter opposite Katara. "That why Zuko walked out of here with a face like thunder?"

"He was probably annoyed because he fell asleep alone on the couch by himself." _Smooth_.

"Save it, Katara," Suki smirked, "we saw you together."

Katara closed her eyes briefly. She was almost too afraid to ask. "We?"

"Sokka and I," Suki clarified. "And yes, before you ask, he was fully prepared to yell at you both before I convinced him not to." She surveyed Katara quizzically. "So, you and Zuko…"

"Fell asleep."

Suki frowned as she picked up on the defensive note in Katara's short reply.

"Why are you pressing it?" Katara demanded, throwing her arms up in the air despite Suki's silence. "It's nothing!"

Suki wasn't cowed and held Katara's stare. "Why have you got a guilty conscience if all you did was sleep?"

Katara was the first one to look away, something she hated herself for. She could confide in Suki, but somehow confessing her feelings made them seem all the more real, too real to continue to ignore.

"I don't know…how…" she began, her eyes trained firmly on Suki's feet, "how I feel." She glanced up quickly before her gaze darted back down. "About Zuko."

Much to Katara's surprise, Suki let out an exasperated groan. "You're _still_ mad at him for what happened in Ba Sing Se?"

"What? No, Suki, I-"

"Because, I'm sorry Katara, but let it go! He's done so much to prove himself since then! I don't know what happened between you both in the Catacombs, but -"

"Suki, that isn't what I meant!" Katara interrupted, holding up her hands to cut off her friend's tirade. She regretted ever mentioning it, and now she'd be forced to either tell the truth or make up a lie to cover her tracks. "I meant that I'll miss Zuko when he leaves to go back to the Fire Nation, but I thought you might've seen me sleeping with him," she blushed as her words registered, "_next _tohim, as something more than it was."

Suki remained impassive for one more moment, before bursting out into peals of laughter. "Katara, why would I even think that? You and Zuko?" There came a fresh round of giggles, and Katara found herself offended. Still, she forced a smile as though she too found the idea absurd. "You're complete opposites! You'd make a horrible couple. You and Aang are so much better suited, so uncomplicated."

Katara's cheeks ached as the forced smile began to take its toll, so she settled for nodding instead. There was that word again, 'uncomplicated.' Great for some people, but not the way Katara wanted to spend the rest of her life. She relished a challenge, a fight, and, although she missed it sometimes, she never wanted to go back to the monotony of life in the Southern Water Tribe. Not now that she knew there was a whole other way of life out there, not to mention the person - _people_, she meant - who made life interesting.

* * *

Zuko tried to sneak around the back way of the Jasmine Dragon, keeping his face low and his walk of shame to more of a stealthy jog, if such a thing existed.

He reached the kitchens with no difficulty. The stairway leading up to his room in sight. All he had to do was reach them and-

"Where have you been?" Iroh called out, just as Zuko triumphantly mounted the first step.

He jumped and spun around. Iroh stood frowning at him from a few feet away, the delicate teacup in his hand emitting thin veils of steam.

"Out." Zuko didn't elaborate, and instead pulled down the hood of his cloak. He had nothing to hide. Aside from his feelings for Katara and his location the previous night, that is.

"All night?"

If Zuko had been paying attention, he would've realized that behind the annoyance in his Uncle's tone there was a mixture of relief and concern.

"Yes. I was safe, don't worry."

"Safe doing what?"

"_Things,_ Uncle!" Zuko snapped, his temper flaring up. "It's none of your business!"

The lines around Iroh's eyes creased further as he scowled. "You are the Fire Lord now, Zuko, you can't just go missing when you feel like it!"

Zuko gritted his teeth. "I was with Katara."

Iroh's stern expression slowly relaxed into one of sadness and he shook his head. "You are playing a dangerous game, nephew. One in which I fear there are no winners."

Zuko couldn't think of a response to that, so he continued up the stairs and into his room. He wasn't an idiot. He knew that, somewhere down the line, someone was going to get hurt. And with Katara pulling away from him and Aang returning soon, he had a good idea who that person would be.

* * *

The Town Hall was a cool sanctuary from the heat outside, but Aang was sweating for a different reason. The Town Leaders were questioning him from left and right (literally; they sat in a line on a platform in front of him, while he was made to sit on a lowly chair) and he was struggling to keep up. Toph stood behind him, one hand resting on the back of his chair. He could sense her desire to speak out, but had warned her against doing so before the meeting/interrogation had begun.

"What were the circumstances surrounding your first meeting with Fire Lord Zuko, Avatar?" one very old man asked, leaving forward in his seat and narrowing his eyes as though Aang was the enemy.

"He was looking for me," Aang answered carefully. "In the Southern Water Tribe. We talked for a bit and then he left."

It wasn't a _complete _lie. He'd just left out a few details.

"Was he antagonizing the Water Tribe citizens in any way?" another Leader asked.

"He didn't attack any of them, if that's what you mean," Aang replied, his eyes darting from one Leader to the next.

"Did he threaten any of them?"

Aang hesitated. "He used Firebending, but-"

"So he threatened to melt their homes unless they complied with his demands," Qin, Siyu's Town Leader sat in the middle of the others, surmised gravely.

"What? No, that's not what I-" Aang tried to explain, but the room had erupted in mutters. Many Town Leaders were shaking their heads and frowning. "Fire Lord Zuko isn't like that anymore. He's changed, he's realized the mistakes he's made and worked really hard to make them better! When the Comet came he even fought his own family-"

"Ah, now that isn't strictly true, is it, Avatar Aang?" one of the few women, Lehnah said, speaking as though to a small child who's just told an obvious lie. "You were the one to fight the previous Fire Lord, and I believe that Katara of the Water Tribe was the one to defeat Princess Azula."

"Well, technically, but only because Azula shot Zuko with lightning!"

"Convenient," Lehnah murmured, giving the others meaningful glances.

"Convenient?" Aang echoed, his anger rising. "He nearly _died_!"

"Please, Avatar," Qin said, holding his hands up so that his palms faced Aang. "Don't raise your voice at us. We are not the enemy."

"If you're against something that will finally bring peace to the world then, yeah, you are," Toph said, unable to stop herself from saying something. "Toph Bei Fong," she added as she felt all eyes swivel in her direction. "Pleasure to meet you all."

Her comments and biting sarcasm went ignored, although she had a feeling that Aang appreciated them anyway.

"So you don't want to ally yourselves with the Fire Nation because you're scared of them?" Aang asked, trying to delve into the source of the Town Leaders' problems.

"We're not _scared_!" Xai and Xei declared at once, haughty looks on their identically withered faces.

"Great, twins that talk in unison," Toph muttered so that only Aang could hear. "That's not creepy at all."

Aang fought a smile and kept his face passive. "So then what's your reason?"

"We don't need one!" a man whose name escaped Aang told him.

"Then there's no way that we can work to fix the problem. You'll be treated as a threat to the peace and be dealt with accordingly," Aang told them all, standing up to emphasize his point. "Come on, Toph, we're leaving."

"Avatar Aang, wait!" one member called out before Aang had taken three steps. "We are not against peace. It's in the interest of peace that we won't ally ourselves with the Fire Nation!"

"You don't trust them, I get it, I didn't trust them either," Aang answered as he turned back around.

He'd been there for around twenty minutes and already he was tired of dancing around the real issue.

"They almost destroyed two entire cultures!" Lehnah snapped, slamming her hand down on the table in front of her. Her husband, Lentok, laid his hand over hers. The fire blazing in her eyes died down as she looked at him, before she turned back to Aang. "General Iroh's failed attempt at conquering Ba Sing Se cost our towns and villages more than you can comprehend, Avatar! We will not offer up our trust so easily!"

Aang sat back down on his small chair, but refused to be cowed. "The Fire Nation killed everyone I cared about in the Air Temple and has attacked the people I care about now too many times to keep tracks of. But I'm not refusing to give them another chance. So what could they have done to _you_ that means you can't do the same?"

The Town Leaders exchanged uneasy glances.

"The Fire Nation used our towns to fuel their war," Qin said eventually, his grave eyes fixing on Aang. "We're the nearest to Ba Sing Se, so we were chosen to forge their weapons and feed their soldiers as they passed through. The old Mayor refused to comply, and a Sergeant burnt him alive." He paused and closed his eyes briefly. "Six hundred days is a long time, Avatar, and the soldiers of the Fire Nation were ruthless. Different divisions would pass through every so often, always expecting hospitality and respect, all the while raping our wives and murdering our children." His eyes simmered with resentment and his voice wavered with barely suppressed anger. "The Fire Nation do not deserve trust. They do not deserve compassion or a second chance. The cut the throat of our communities and drank our blood, spitting it out once they were nourished."

"Iroh…Iroh can't have allowed that to happen," he said, assuring himself as much as Qin.

Qin laughed bitterly. "General Iroh had no idea what was going on. Anything that didn't directly concern breaking through the Outer Wall was of no matter for him." He smiled coldly. "The death of his son was a great day for us. That remains the only retribution we have had these past six years. We will not forgive, Avatar."

* * *

Katara let the warm rays of the sun soak into her skin. It had been three hours since Zuko had left, and one hour since she had decided that she didn't care. Much. So she'd placed two chairs opposite each other and reclined on them. It was uncomfortable at first, but now she was in paradise.

She had on only her wrappings, and her bare stomach, legs and arms were almost sighing in relief. The chance to sunbathe wasn't one she had had often in her life, and she never wanted to move from this spot in the garden. It was so peaceful, so warm, so -

"Katara!"

Katara kept her eyes closed determinedly. Her brother would not spoil this for her.

"Katara!" His voice was coming from somewhere in the house behind her.

"What?" she shouted back, reaching blindly to her side for the drink she remembered placing on a small table. Her fingers found the glass, unpleasantly warm from the sun, and deftly coated it in ice. Eyes still closed, she brought the glass to her mouth and enjoyed the cold fruit juice as it slipped down her throat.

"We need to talk!"

"Long as I don't have to move," she murmured in reply, setting the drink back down. She heard Sokka slide open the door to the garden and stomp on the stone until the soft grass swallowed his footsteps. He stopped right next to her but didn't open her eyes. "What's up?"

"I don't know what that was this morning-"

"It was nothing. We fell asleep."

"_Together_. You fell asleep _together_!"

Katara didn't understand the annoyance in his tone, but she was resolute that she wouldn't let it get to her.

"I don't want to see you doing that with your boyfriend, let alone some other guy!" Sokka continued, his voice going progressively higher.

Katara could imagine him waving his arms about dramatically and pressed her lips together.

"Zuko's not just some other guy," she told him irritably. "And besides, we only fell asleep because we were both tired after a busy day. Stop overreacting."

She could practically hear her brother grinding his teeth together, and when he demanded, "At least look at me!" she squeezed her eyes even more tightly shut. It was immature but she didn't care.

"Fine," Sokka muttered.

He went worryingly quiet and Katara felt smug satisfaction that she had won the argument. That was until about three seconds later when icy cold fruit juice landed on her bare stomach, thrown there by her idiot brother.

She shrieked and stood up, nearly toppling over the chairs in her effort.

"Sokka!" She swiped at her stomach, the skin of which had pricked up into gooseflesh. "Ugh, that was freezing! Why would you-?!"

"Am I interrupting something?"

Suki stood at the entrance to the garden, frowning in a way that Katara didn't understand. Didn't understand, that was, until she caught sight of the stern-looking official standing behind the Kyoshi Warrior. The man surveyed the scene his hard eyes and a grim line where his mouth should be. His eyes lingered on Katara and the line thinned.

Katara felt herself blush, suddenly very aware of how little she was wearing. Still, she stood up straight and tried not to look as uncomfortable as she felt.

"Hello," she greeted. "Can we help you?"

The man, thin and balding, stared down his nose at the Water Tribe siblings. Katara noticed Sokka tensing as the man sneered slightly.

"Your presence is required at the Earth King's palace. Immediately," he added when no one moved.

_Why don't I just go and visit the Earth King in my undergarments? It'd be about as awkward as this, but hey, if we're needed _immediately, Katara thought, her mind dripping in sarcasm.

As if he'd read her mind - Katara really hoped he hadn't - the man raised a thin eyebrow and he focused on her.

"Although you may wish to change first. I doubt the Earth King and the Fire Lord will appreciate your attire."

Katara shrugged as she walked past the man and entered the house again. The Earth King wouldn't approve of her 'attire' but she had a funny feeling that Zuko would.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Merry Christmas!**

**Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, sorry I couldn't reply to your reviews (which I'm very grateful for btw, thank you for getting me past the 100 mark!) but you know what the holiday season is like…ack.**

**Question Three: what's your best Christmas present this year?**

**(Yes, I'm like a small child when it comes to Christmas :D)**

**Have a fantastic day everyone,**

**- Momo**


	10. My Favourite Of Sins

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

* * *

"The important thing to realize about the Earth King," the Earth Kingdom Official - who had introduced himself pompously as Tai Shang - said as he, Sokka, Katara and Suki rode in the carriage, "is that he's just a man. A brilliant, brilliant man."

Sokka and Katara exchanged a look. Tai Shang worshipped the Earth King, that much was clear from his incessant chatter.

"We've met him before, actually," Katara said, smiling as though this would hide the irritation in her voice.

"Impossible," Tai Shang dismissed with a wave of his bony hand. "No one has ever really _met _the Earth King."

"Then you should go and tell him that there's a guy running around running the City behind his back, because we've met _someone_ calling himself the Earth King" Sokka said scathingly, his patience waning.

Katara smiled to herself as Suki set a placating hand over her boyfriend's. She wondered how Aang was getting along with the villagers, and that small section of her mind she saved for worrying about Aang opened up. Was he safe? Was he drinking enough water? It had been sweltering hot in the desert when they had been there before, and that had only been springtime. Now, in summer, it must be overpowering. She should've gone with him. What if he was hurt? Toph wouldn't be able to heal him! She could hurl a couple of rocks around, sure, but she couldn't heal him!

"Worried about Aang?" Sokka asked, cutting into her thoughts in a tone that lilted in amusement. "I swear, you're more like his mother than his girlfriend!"

He and Suki laughed, and Katara summoned a weak smile. He was right, of course. And with her increasingly complicated relationship with Zuko, it was an issue she'd have to face up with. But not now.

"One of you will have to get out and sit with the driver when Fire Lord Zuko arrives," Tai Shang informed them, shuffling a stack of papers that he seemed to have pulled from a mysterious pocket. No doubt he believed that they made him look important. When no one answered, he glanced up and spluttered to see everyone glaring pointedly at him. "Well, I certainly can't!"

"Why not?" Sokka asked, leaning back and folding his arms. "We've all saved the world. All you've done is kiss the Earth King's-"

"Sokka," Katara cut in sharply, frowning.

Sokka gave his sister an innocent look. "I was going to say ring." He turned back to the Official and shrugged. "Either way, you're up front, buddy."

Tai Shang sat pouting in silence for the rest of the journey to the Jasmine Dragon, at which point the stepped out of the carriage and out of sight. Katara could only assumed he'd accompanied the driver and raised her eyebrows at Sokka and Suki.

"What's his problem?"

"I think we're stealing the limelight from his precious Earth King," Suki said, pressing her lips together to stop herself from smiling. "Whoops."

Sokka shrugged. "The guy has issues. Do you think there'll be food at this meeting thing?"

Katara was about to reply when the carriage door opened again. Zuko stood there awkwardly in his robes, muttering a thank you to the driver who bowed and disappeared.

"Get in," Sokka called to him, gesturing into the carriage. "You look stupid, by the way."

Zuko frowned. "Just last night you were telling me you'd date me." He smirked and climbed up next to Katara. "Just how _is_ your head, by the way?" Color flooded Sokka's cheeks and Zuko nodded. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"Never let me drink again," Sokka ordered Suki in an undertone as Zuko turned to Katara.

"Hey."

"Hi." Katara paused, and raised her voice to be heard over the carriage as it rumbled off. "I'm sorry I was rude this morning." She gave an awkward laugh. "I guess I'm not much of a morning person."

Zuko's eyes lingered on her and, for a moment, Katara feared he wouldn't accept her apology. Then he smiled slightly.

"It's alright. I can understand why you were upset. So," he continued, making his voice louder so the other passengers could hear, "do you know what the meeting's about?"

"Not a clue," Sokka answered, over the indignity of being reminded of his drunken antics by Zuko. "Can't be anything too serious though, or they'd have called Aang and Toph back from…" he scratched his chin thoughtfully, "wherever they are. I forget."

"It's probably just an errand or something. Nothing to get dressed up over," Katara added with a sly look sideways.

"I'm the Fire Lord now, making _lunch_ is something to get dressed up over," Zuko told her irritably. "Trust me, I'd rather keep it simple. I got the message about the meeting and then got told to dress accordingly."

"Suki didn't get Kyoshi'd up," Sokka pointed out.

"I don't rule a Nation," Suki replied with a shrug.

* * *

Much to Toph's annoyance, she and Aang hadn't resolved anything by nightfall and were invited to stay overnight in Siyu. Aang agreed almost instantly, while Toph remained in a sulky silence. She wanted to solve the conflict as much as Aang did, but everyone in the town took Aang seriously. All they saw when they looked at Toph was a little blind girl. It was like being back with her parents.

"If one more person refers to me as 'your little friend' then all that'll be left of this town by morning will be a pile of rubble," she threatened as she closed the door to Aang's bedroom at the inn they had been offered.

"As much as I'm taking that threat seriously, don't you have your own room?" Aang asked, his lips quirking up.

"I do," Toph replied, collapsing onto Aang's bed.

Aang raised a finger pointed upwards as though he was about to say something, sighed, and then lowered it again. "Okay. Make room for me."

Toph concealed a smile as she scooted over and felt the mattress dip beside her.

"Are there stars out tonight?" she asked, feeling a breeze blowing through a nearby open window.

The weight beside her shifted as Aang peered out into the night.

"Yeah," he answered, settling back down. "There are a lot of them."

"I try to imagine what they'd look like, sometimes," Toph admitted, her blank eyes turned towards the ceiling as she lay flat on her back. "But it's difficult. What are they shaped like?"  
"The stars?" Aang shrugged. "They're dots. They're really bright dots."

Toph reached out a hand to the ceiling. "I know that if I could just _touch_ one, I'd have an image in my head. It's like the moon and the clouds, if only they were reachable or solid..." The hand faltered and slowly drooped. "But I guess that's stupid."

"It isn't," Aang assured her, taking her hand in his and stretching it back to the ceiling. "It isn't stupid."

Toph grinned, both at his words and at his warm touch. He always knew the right thing to say. And even when he didn't, it was okay, because she knew that he was _trying_ to find the words, and that meant everything to her.

"So, there are some blockheads in this town, huh?" she asked, punctuating the silence that had descended with a joke, like the blockhead _she_ was.

Aang let go of her hand and grinned. "I guess you could call them that. I see where they're coming from, though." Toph sensed the grin sliding off his face. "I can't imagine how awful it was for everyone. All the while I was just sleeping. I can't believe I was so selfish, running away from the monks. From my home."

Toph bristled. "Sometimes it's gotta be done."

Aang sat up quickly. "I didn't mean…your situation was totally different!"

Toph sighed and rolled over. She rested her head in the soft pillow and lifted a shoulder listlessly.

"I know. I just miss…" she stopped and forced a laugh, trying to conceal how weak she felt. It failed when the laugh turned into a half-sob. "I really miss my parents. But I don't want to leave you. And Sokka and Katara and Zuko," she added quickly. "And I'm worried that if I go back to them, they won't let me leave again."

Aang settled a gentle yet somewhat awkward hand on Toph's shoulder.

"Like we'd let them keep you," he told her, and Toph knew that behind the joviality was a firm resolve.

"Thanks, Twinkletoes."

"No problem, Rocky."

Toph turned to face him, her eyebrows raised. "Rocky?" she echoed.

"Just something I'm trying," Aang explained with an easy smile.

"Well, don't. Leave the nicknames to me."

Aang nodded as he lay back down next to her. "Will do. Rocky."

* * *

"So, you guys remember when Aang died and Ba Sing Se fell?" Sokka asked, reclining as much as the stiff wooden chair he sat on allowed him.

Zuko and Katara exchanged a cautious look.

"Yeah…" Katara replied slowly. "What about it?"

Sokka shrugged, then shifted about in an effort to get comfortable.

"No reason. I'm just trying to remember that there have been worse moments in my life than _this_."

'This' was the waiting room for guests before they entered the royal visiting rooms. There were no windows, no portraits, no decoration of any sorts aside from the large half-completed Fire Nation insignia painted meticulously onto the off-white wall opposite the row of uncomfortable chairs. A pair of doors faced each other on the walls that didn't contain chairs or the insignia.

Katara rolled her eyes before narrowing them at her brother. The four of them (Tai Shang had mercifully disappeared) had been stuck in the small room for an hour now, and everyone was getting on everyone else's nerves.

"Yes, Sokka, there have been worse moments in your life than this," Katara said, her tone hard. "I could probably make a list for you. Let's see, first mom died, then-"

"Katara," Zuko murmured, touching her hand briefly. It worked; she looked up at him, albeit reluctantly. "Don't."

Katara looked at him for a moment more before nodding. She turned to her brother and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Sokka."

Sokka shrugged and offered his sister a smile "No, I shouldn't joke about stuff like that." He fidgeted a little more before standing up and stretching. "Screw this. I'm going to see if I can get us something to drink." He turned to his girlfriend. "You coming, Suki?"

Suki could say 'yes' fast enough, and was out of her chair like a shot. She gave her friends a sheepish look.

"Sorry, but this place is driving me crazy. See you later!"

She took Sokka's hand and led him from the room, as though leaving had been her suggestion.

"You mean we can't come with-?" The door closed with a firm click. "You." Katara finished flatly. "Alright." She turned to Zuko with an awkward smile. "I guess it's just us."

"Guess so."

_Don't say it_, Zuko advised himself. _Don't say it, don't say it, don't say it._

"We fell asleep together, it's not like it was anything illicit," he said, his mouth twisting in annoyance as his conscience face-palmed itself. "I'm trying really hard not to make you feel uncomfortable, but everything I say seems to make it worse. Tell me what I can do."

Katara was quiet for a long time, her eyes fixed on the insignia opposite her. Her eyebrows were drawn together and her lips were slightly pursed, and this was the expression that Zuko recognized to mean that she was deep in thought.

"I want you to not complicate things," she told him slowly. "I want you to not make me question the things I thought I knew." She scoffed. "It's stupid! You don't even know me that well."

Zuko frowned. "I know you pretty well."

Katara raised her eyebrows. "Really? What's my favorite color?"

"Judging by your wardrobe, pendant, eyes, element and pretty much entire culture?" Zuko paused and then smirked. "Blue."

"Okay, so maybe that was a stupid question."

"Maybe?"

"Shut up. Like your favourite color isn't red?"

Zuko smiled to himself. "Actually, blue's growing on me." His eyes lingered on the half-finished insignia, obviously begun when he and Azula had conquered the City and hastily abandoned once Ba Sing Se regained its rightful leader. "You wouldn't believe how much I've grown to hate red and gold."

"Don't let any of your citizens hear you say that," Katara joked, trying to lighten the mood and instantly wishing she hadn't. She wasn't effortlessly funny, or sarcastic enough to pull off humor.

Zuko did her the courtesy of smiling grimly. "Probably shouldn't." He shook his head and looked at Katara. "So, go on. What makes you think I don't know you well?"

Katara could tell he was trying to start a new topic, and was more than wiling to go along with it.

"Because I don't know you well," she responded.

_That made more sense in my mind_, she decided, but before she could rephrase, Zuko was talking again.

"The three people who know me are Uncle, Azula and you. I'm not talking about memorising facts about me or names or anything," he added when Katara opened her mouth to argue. "Knowing that stuff doesn't mean you know the person. It just means you know about them. Uncle and Azula know me because I grew up with them." His face hardened. "That's Azula's secret weapon. You can have all the weapons and defences in the world, but if she knows how your mind works then you might as well admit defeat. No one can manipulate like Azula." He shook his head again then continued. "Uncle's listened to the reasons behind my stupid plans over the years, he knows my motivations and my goals. You…you've seen me at my best and at my worst."

"In the Catacombs…"

"That was when you saw me at my worst. When I betrayed Uncle. And you."

His voice had gone very quiet, and Katara felt she had to speak in a whisper for her next question. She found herself unwittingly leaning in to hear.

"And at your best?"

A ghost of a smile played on Zuko's lips. "Saving you. I didn't know getting shot by lightning was so painful, but somehow knowing I was doing it to save your life made it hurt less." He lifted his eyes up to meet Katara's, the smile coming into full fruition. "I don't I've ever worked so hard to gain anyone's trust and respect than I did with you."

"You earned it," Katara answered with a small shrug, before returning his smile. "I would've given up way before you did."

"Some things you have to work a little harder for, but they turn out to be the most worthwhile." He paused. "Or something. I don't know, it's what Uncle says."

Katara wound a lock of hair around her finger thoughtfully. "I suppose that means you know me as well, then. You've seen me in moments I'm not really proud of. I came face to face with that…_man_ who killed my mother and I was so angry…"

"You wanted to kill him."

"You would've let me."

Zuko ignored the defensive edge to her voice and simply nodded.

"I would've. I know how it feels to face the man who took your mother out of your life. I had to face him every day of my life and I didn't even realize it." His eyes wandered back to the insignia of the Nation he had used to love so much. "I wanted to kill him. But that was Aang's destiny, not mine."

Katara looked at him sharply. "You think it was Aang's destiny to kill Ozai? You don't he did enough by defeating him and taking away his bending?"

It wasn't an accusatory question, she genuinely wanted to know. And when Zuko's eyes - still fixed on the symbol of his homeland - narrowed, she worried she had upset him.

"I don't trust my father with anything as long as he's still alive." His gaze finally dropped to his clenched hands. "Like I said, he'd be dead by now if it wasn't someone else's destiny."

Katara wasn't entirely sure why she did it. She offered comfort to those in need of comfort and, well, Zuko seemed to need it. She shuffled closer to him and, with only a moment of hesitation, settled her head on his shoulder.

Zuko froze for a moment before relaxing his own head to settle on top of hers. He pushed all concerns to the back of his mind (he had never once worried if his head was too heavy up until this point in his life) and closed his eyes. He was enjoying the moment, their closeness, and he knew it would come back to haunt him.

"What do we do when Aang gets back?" he asked reluctantly. It wasn't as though he wanted to spoil the moment, but being himself meant he was predisposed to.

"I don't know," Katara whispered.

"We're not doing anything wrong," Zuko told her, trying to convince himself just as much as he was trying to convince her.

"Not yet," Katara replied, and before she realized what she'd said and hastily tried to retract it, a little hope was restored to Zuko.

* * *

"So I don't want to sound cruel," Toph began the next morning as she, Aang and the Town Leaders sat in the Town Hall again, "but get over it."

There was a sharp intake of breath from the men and women sat on the platform, and Aang closed his eyes. There was a reason he hadn't really wanted Toph to give her own special brand of 'advice' in the meeting.

"Young lady, I don't know who gave you permission to speak-"

"Aang did when he made this a free country again," Toph cut in. "Now…I'm sorry, I've forgotten all of your names…but I'm pretty sure you don't know mine, so it doesn't matter."

"Toph," Aang muttered, but Toph ignored him.

"A lot of bad things happened to your towns, and I'm really sorry about that," Toph continued, getting to her feet and facing the platform. She could feel the heartbeats of a lot of angry people, but it only spurred her on. "But stop being so selfish. My friends lost their mom and Aang here lost his entire _race_. Fire Lord Zuko kept screwing up and picking the wrong sides but in the end he came after us and, in a nice change of pace, _didn't try to kill us_. We gave him a chance and here you are a few weeks later, not under the control of the Fire Nation. And you never have to be again."

"We can't make you sign any treaty or trust the Fire Nation," Aang jumped in, after Toph gave him what she thought was a gentle nudge (in reality his arm would probably blossom into a bruise quite soon.) "But you'll become the enemy if you don't accept the peace we're offering. Fire Lord Zuko isn't responsible for the crimes that happened in your town. There's a whole new generation of soldiers out there now, returning home to their families, their wives and children. Don't blame the future for the past's mistakes."

The Town Leaders stared at the two children in front of them, each wise beyond their years. Aang met each of their eyes in turn, whilst Toph stood with her head held high, staring blankly ahead.

Qin, Siyu's Mayor, propped his elbows onto the desk in front of him.

"We will need time to discuss," he announced. "Avatar, friend of Avatar-"

"It's Toph."

"- we appreciate you coming down here," Qin continued as though there had been no interruption. "However, as we mentioned yesterday, this isn't a conflict that can be solved with words, heartfelt as they may be."

Aang got the feeling he was being mocked, but merely stood up, nodded and bowed.

"Thank you for your hospitality," he answered carefully. "We'll inform the Earth King of your reservations and I'm sure he'll deal with you appropriately."

It hadn't meant to come out as a threat, but concern lit up in each pair of eyes regardless.

_Well, good, _Aang decided. _I won't help people who won't allow themselves to be helped. It's stupid, and I have the rest of the world to sort out._

"What would the Earth King do?"

Lehnah spoke to her husband in an undertone that still managed to carry across the space to where Aang and Toph stood.

"He can't forceyou into a treaty," Toph assured them. "Although…well, I mean, he _really _wants peace. I don't really know how far he'd go." She paused for effect before taking Aang's arm and turning away cheerfully. "Anyway, see you!"

"Wait!"

At least three voices had chorused that word, and Toph turned in smug satisfaction. Aang had to admit, he was proud of her.

"Stay for dinner, won't you?"

Lehnah was offering a forced smile that didn't detract from the nervous quiver in her voice. Toph had spooked the Town Leaders into deliberating a little more, and that could only end in some form of treaty.

"We can throw a feast!" one of the twins (Xai? Xei?) added, strained enthusiasm lining his ancient face.

Aang turned to Toph, his lips pursed in exaggeration. "What do you think, Toph?"

"I think it depends on the food," Toph answered, straight-faced.

"We'll stay," Aang told the Town Leaders. He bowed and Toph did the same. "We'll leave you to discuss."

The children were silent until the door to the Town Hall closed behind them, at which point they burst out laughing on the empty walkway.

"That was excellent!" Aang whooped, throwing his arms around Toph, who paused before returning the hug awkwardly. "You had them running - well, sitting - scared! We'll be back in Ba Sing Se by tomorrow night but until then…"

Toph stopped listening as Aang rattled off a long list of things that they could do in the town. She wondered how Zuko and Katara were going on, and somehow knew that Zuko was having much more luck than she was.

Stupid Fire Lord.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Happy New Year! … A week ago. But close enough (:**

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter, it was more of a relationship-building one than anything else. Thank you very much for your reviews, they're greatly appreciated (:**

**So it's been incredibly snowy across Britain and the north of England has just been ridiculous. I was slipping and sliding down my street on my way to work last week, praying that I suddenly became a Waterbender. It didn't happen, but at least I didn't slip in front of a bus full of people.**

**Oh, wait. Yes I did.**

**Just a little rant here: I'm rewatching Avatar Season Two and tried not to hate Mai as much as I do. It didn't work. She didn't care when her baby brother was kidnapped by rebels (or so she thought) and then she put his hands in the life of _Azula_?! Even by the end of the episode she didn't care what had happened to Tom Tom because she's so convinced her life is terrible. Yeah, look outside your window, sweetheart, and you'll see the oppressed citizens of a city that was great until your Nation came and pwned it. Stupid cow. I will never understand Maiko. /rant.**

**Question four: based off your skin tone and hair colour, what Nation would you be from if you lived in the Avatar world? (example: I'm pale skinned and dark haired, so I'd be Fire Nation.) If you're blonde or a redhead…sorry, you don't exist :P**

**Have a great rest of the week,**

**- Momo**


	11. We Provoke And We Recline

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

* * *

There were silences that, no matter how long they stretched on for, were comfortable. Words weren't needed, because the company was enough.

Katara had never experienced one of these, and the silence with Zuko was no different. They'd been sitting like that - Katara resting her head on his shoulder, Zuko resting his head on top - for the best part of ten minutes. Zuko seemed contented enough, and perhaps this was what concerned Katara. She didn't think she was particularly talkative, but there was something about the lack of noise that disturbed her.

"You have a nice shoulder."

But then again, silence was nice sometimes.

Zuko laughed softly and Katara could feel his shoulder quiver. "Thank you."

"No problem," Katara muttered, her face flushing. What was wrong with her? Why was she so-?

The door opened and Katara almost broke her neck as she moved herself away from Zuko. She saw Zuko roll his eyes as he casually sat up straight, watching Sokka and Suki enter with twin looks of suspicion on their faces.

"Hey guys," Suki greeted, her eyes slightly narrowed. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Katara answered quickly. "Any luck finding anyone?"

It was Suki's turn to look shifty. "Uh…no."

"We walked around for the amount of time we weren't in this room for and found no one," Sokka informed them mechanically. He glanced at Suki after he spoke, and she gave him a small nod of approval.

"We're not that obvious, right?" Zuko murmured to Katara, who smiled.

"I hope not." She turned a disapproving gaze to her brother and his girlfriend. "I don't want to know what you guys were up to, I just want to know if you found anyone who knows what we're supposed to be doing."

A faint blush appeared on Suki's cheeks. Sokka noticed this and answered his sister in a way that didn't sound as though he'd rehearsed.

"Nope. No one at all." He pulled a face. "Something's going on, and I get the feeling it isn't a surprise party."

"It never is," Katara said, somewhat sadly, standing up and facing the door that none of them had been through yet. "We're seeing what's on the other side." When no one moved, she sighed irritably. "Unless you want to wait here for another…_Sprits _knows how long! And no make-out breaks!" she added, throwing a stern look at Sokka.

"Let's go," Sokka said, almost barging past Katara in his embarrassment. He grasped the door handle and pulled the door open, faltering when he saw what was behind it. He lifted a hand hesitantly and tapped the solid stone wall that filled the doorway. Nothing happened.

Katara frowned and sat back in her seat. "I hate this place."

"There's obviously something important behind there," Zuko said, eyeing the wall. "Something only Earthbenders can get to."

Sokka flexed his barely-there muscles. "I don't know, I bet we could crack that wall if we tried."

"And get thrown into jail for vandalising the palace?" Suki asked, raising an eyebrow and sitting down next to Katara. "Be my guest."

Sokka mulled this over, shrugged and closed the door.

"Tai Shang said it was the visiting rooms," Suki pointed out. "Maybe they're just really tight on security after what happened with Azula."

Zuko scoffed lightly. "They could've had all the security in the world, Azula still would've infiltrated the ranks."

"Which is when the silence becomes awkward again," Sokka said after a prolonged pause, taking a seat next to Suki.

Only Zuko remained standing, leaning against the wall next to where Katara sat. He stared at the Fire Nation insignia, his mouth in a grim line and his brow furrowed. Katara wanted to say something to him, but doubted that Zuko's pride would allow him to be comforted in front of Sokka and Suki.

She kept silent, casting worried looks his way every few moments until the door that wasn't blocked by the wall opened and Tai Shang came in, flustered and carrying a stack of papers that came precariously close to toppling over.

Zuko looked towards him, but didn't move to help. When no one else did either, Katara stood up and pushed the papers so that they were balanced.

Tai Shang scowled and stepped back, jerking the papers away from her and consequently dropping the top few sheets on the floor.

"Look what you've done!" he cried, resting the pile on a spare chair and dropping to the ground to gather the stray papers. He shot Katara a dark look.

Zuko raised his eyebrow at her in a look that clearly said, _which is why I didn't help him._

"When can we see the Earth King?" Sokka asked as Tai Shang straightened up, keeping a firm hand on top of the pile of papers.

"When you learn that patience is a virtue," Tai Shang answered testily.

"We've been waiting for ages," Suki pointed out, folding her arms across her chest. "It isn't about our lack of patience, it's about your lack of politeness."

"Fine," Tai Shang snapped, shoving the papers towards Suki. "Hold these. It just so happens that His Majesty is ready to see you anyway."

Suki scowled but reflexively caught the papers as Tai Shang dropped them in favor of striding towards the other door. He flung it open and, when faced with the solid stone wall behind it, took a breath. He planted his feet solidly onto the floor, shifted them slightly and then thrust his palms forward before breaking them apart swiftly. The stone split in half smoothly, disappearing either side into the walls so that the doorway was completely clear.

"Thanks," Sokka said, taking the lead and passing through the doorway. "But you couldn't have done that, like, an hour ago?"

Suki followed Sokka, dumping the papers in Tai Shang's arms before walking in, her lips curling up into a smirk. Zuko gestured awkwardly for Katara to go first. She nodded her head in thanks and offered a small smile.

Once all four were inside what turned out to be a rather small meeting room, the stone walls clamped back together, making them all jump.

Twelve men around the long table in front of them glanced up at the newcomers. At the head of the table in a chair elevated from the ground sat the Earth King, his risen eyebrows indicating his surprise at the interruption.

"Fire Lord Zuko," he greeted, nodding at each of them. "Sokka and Katara of the Water Tribe. Suki of Kyoshi Island."

Sokka, Katara and Suki bowed. Zuko merely inclined his head.

"You wished to see us?" he asked, his eyes sweeping over the table. The men sat it at shrank from his gaze.

"Please have a seat," the Earth King said, indicating the other end of the table at which there was another elevated seat.

Katara didn't want to say anything, but she got the distinct feeling that the Earth King's chair was higher. There was a peculiar tension in the room that instantly put her on edge. A quick shared glance with Zuko confirmed that he felt it too. Still, he sat on his chair and the others took seats at the table in front of him.

Katara noticed Tai Shang slip into the room, opening and re-sealing the door as quietly as he could. Without the papers that seemed to give his life meaning, he seemed smaller. Or perhaps that was just because he took a seat at the lowered table on the Earth King's right side. He picked up a pen, dipped it in an ink pot and poised it just over piece of parchment that was laying waiting for him and.

"These," the Earth King began, sweeping a hand across the table at the men who sat there, "are my most trusted advisors."

_Lot of good they did you in Azula's coup, _Katara thought, scanning them with less-than-impressed eyes. _Bet you picked them up off the street three days ago. Still, they're probably an improvement on Long Feng._

"We've been discussing this for several days prior to your arrival," the Earth King continued, looking at Zuko intently through his small glasses. "And we've taken into account every factor concerning your family, upbringing, banishment and redemption. I daresay we now know more about you than you do." He gave a dry chuckle. The advisors gave weak smiles, but no one else laughed.

"Taken _what_into account?" Zuko asked, his quiet voice not quite managing to hide the dangerous undertone that lay beneath it.

Katara and Sokka knew that tone all too well. If the Earth King didn't explain what was going on - and make it a good explanation - then something was going to be set on fire. Possibly the man himself.

"We are…unsure…about the abilities a sixteen year old boy-"

"Seventeen," Zuko cut across, his tone hard. "It was my birthday three weeks ago."

As ridiculous as it was given the current conversation, Katara couldn't help feeling a little bit hurt that Zuko hadn't mentioned his birthday earlier. Then again, three weeks ago the conversation between them would've probably been,

"Hey, it's my birthday."

"Die!"

Katara shook her head and focused back on the topic. Zuko's fists were clenching slowly. They all had a feeling, a terrible, sinking feeling, where this was going.

"We are unsure about the abilities of a _seventeen_," the Earth King corrected himself with a patronising smile, "year old boy has when it comes to ruling a Nation, particularly one that started the war we have just fought ourselves out of. We understand that General Iroh wishes to stay in Ba Sing Se?"

"That's correct," Zuko answered, his teeth firmly gritted together.

The Earth King sucked air in through his teeth. "If he had chosen to assist you in your rule, things may have been different. But as it stands…"

Katara found herself shaking her head. She knew what was coming, and what it would do to Zuko. In that moment, she found there was nothing she wouldn't do to spare him this pain.

"We want you to abdicate."

Katara closed her eyes for the briefest of moments before giving her attention solely to Zuko. His eyes had dropped to the table, which was beginning to darken under his burning fingertips. If he wasn't careful, he'd set the whole table alight. His mouth was twitching and when he looked back up it contorted into a scowl.

"I will _never_ give up my throne!" he spat, lifting his hands only to slam them back onto the table as he stood up. "I have fought harder for my people than you can ever imagine! I was scarred and banished for them! I was actually aware there was a war going on for the past hundred years and I wasn't stupid enough to let the Fire Nation Princess come waltzing in and take over the whole city!"

The Earth King sighed heavily. Katara noticed that he had shrank back in his throne, and that his men were either wearing expressions of terror or ones that indicated readiness a fight. Her hand found its way to her water pouch under the table, just in case.

"Prince Zuko, the fact is you are just not ready to rule a Nation," the Earth King said, his voice kind but firm as though he were talking to a small child.

"_Fire Lord_Zuko," Zuko corrected harshly, tendrils of steam escaping from his nostrils. "You will address me by my correct title. You know nothing about the real world, and you know nothing about me. I will never give up my right to rule."

Several of the advisors exchanged uncertain glances. Clearly this was not how they had expected the meeting to go.

"You need the Earth Kingdom to sign a peace treaty," the Earth King pointed out, beginning to get flustered. "We will not sign while you are Fire Lord. You need us."

"That isn't true," Katara argued, before Zuko could even open his mouth. "We already have King Bumi's support and I'm willing to bet there are plenty of places in the Earth Kingdom that will give theirs too. It'd be beneficial for Ba Sing Se to sign the treaty, but not essential." _So there,_ she added silently.

"If you force Zuko off his throne, we'll force you off yours," Sokka said, facing the Earth King. "I bet there are a lot of people in this city who aren't happy with you right now. It was your job to keep them all safe and, hey, that didn't happen."

"Kyoshi Island offers its full support to Fire Lord Zuko, and so do a lot of the places we trade with," Suki added. "You don't want to be responsible for dividing a Nation, do you?"

Katara looked at Zuko, but his dark expression didn't indicate whether he was angry at their interruption or at the Earth King. Katara hoped it was the latter.

"Alright," the Earth King said, his eyes widening at the thought of being overthrown, "how about Fire Lord Zuko steps down for a few years until the Nation is back on its feet, and then he can be Fire Lord properly?"

"I'm not a fool," Zuko hissed. "It'll take years for the Fire Nation to return to normal. We have injured soldiers and town suffering from famine just like the rest of the world, plus no one's willingly traded with us for the past hundred and thirteen years! Unlike you, I know about poverty and I know what I can do to try and fix it. I won't sit in a dark meeting room worrying about the leaders of other Nations, I'll be out among my people worrying about them."

"Inspirational as your words may be, Fire Lord, we'll be taking the issue up with the Fire Nation Council," one of the men closest to the Earth King warned.

"We'll be strongly recommending your compulsory abdication," added another.

Zuko pushed himself off the table and swung around with such force that his chair clattered to the floor. He stormed towards the stone wall, at which point Tai Shang, anticipating that Zuko would force the wall down, parted it for him. Katara stood up quickly.

"Katara, don't," Sokka advised. "He's really mad, just leave him to it."

"I can't," she answered. It was the best response she could give without listing all the reasons that Zuko shouldn't be left alone. She doubted that 'he might accidentally hurt someone' would dissuade the Earth King from his choice.

She almost stumbled out of the meeting room in her hurry to catch Zuko up. Her footsteps echoed in the hallways she ran down and after a few minutes she was wondering if this had been a good idea. What was she supposed to do when she found him? When Aang was angry, she'd hug him. When Sokka was angry, she'd give him space. But when Zuko was angry, he made stupid decisions and lashed out.

_How has he gone so far so quickly? _she wondered irritably, rounding another corner just in time to see Zuko stride through the door at the end of the corridor.

She doubled her speed and threw open the door that Zuko had just disappeared through, wincing as sunlight rushed to meet her. Why was it so bright? She'd just assumed it was around sunset, they'd been in the waiting room for so long.

"Zuko, wait!" she called, squinting through the light to see the figure ahead of her. It didn't slow down. "Zuko!"

He paused long enough for her to catch up to him. His eyes were cold, his mouth an angry line and his fists shaking. She ran up to him, noticing as she did that they had found their way into a courtyard.

"Leave me alone," he told her, keeping his glare on the stone floor beneath him.

"I can't do that," she said, quickly stepping in front of him so that he couldn't walk away.

His lifted his eyes to her, and Katara almost shrank back. They weren't the eyes she knew and he looked like another person entirely.

"There's nothing you can say to make this better," he said, his lips pulling up into a snarl.

"I know," she answered, a little breathlessly. "Fight me."

There was a moment of silence. Then Zuko scoffed and rolled his eyes up to the sky. He tried to walk around her, but she matched his footsteps swiftly.

"I'm serious," Katara said, annoyed.

"I don't care," Zuko replied. "I won't fight you."

He tried to walk away again, but she didn't let him. He stepped to the side, she mirrored him. He stepped to the other side, so did she.

"Why not?" Katara demanded.

After another failed attempt, Zuko scowled and gripped Katara's arms, intending to force her out of the way. He realised what he was doing after a moment and quickly let go.

"Because," he said, dropping his arms to his sides in shame. "I don't want to hurt you, and I don't trust myself when I'm angry."

"That's why you should fight me," Katara told him, trying not to wince at the pain in her arms. Zuko's fingertips had been scorching. "Just get all the anger out. The only way I know how to deal with you when you're angry is to fight you. With Aang, I-"

Zuko cut her off with a humorless chuckle. "Yeah, talk about your boyfriend, that's a good way to calm me down."

Katara glared at him for a moment, before moving aside. She let him walk ten paces before withdrawing water from her pouch, forming a whip with it and smacking Zuko in the back of his head.

"Katara," he said in a warning voice, rubbing his wet hair as he turned around.

"I won't go away," she told him, positioning herself in defense mode. "Take it out on me, I don't mind. I can handle it."

"Katara, I can't-"

Katara raised another water whip. "What's it going to be, Zuzu?"

"Don't call me that."

She shrugged, and threw it at him, snapping her wrist just in time to give it the desired affect. Zuko quickly counter-acted with his own whip, and raised it. The two clashed, hissing.

"Believe it or not, I'm trying to help you," she said, trying not to sound like she was apologising. Her eyes softened as Zuko looked at her uncertainly. "Trust me."

Zuko paused for a moment before nodding to himself. Katara was strong enough to handle his tempers, she'd proved it in the past.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Everything that had been said in the meeting came back to him, and he could feel his blood boil. How dare they try and take away his throne? He had fought so hard for it, he deserved it, he had been born to ascend to it. And here some small, clueless man in a stuffy room was deciding he wasn't worthy? No. No, he wouldn't accept that.

With a yell that tore at his throat, Zuko threw attack after attack. True to her word, Katara dodged or defended against all of them, weaving this way and that and forming her own attacks. She was careful not to hurt Zuko, or do anything that would anger him further. This was such a change of pace for her that she initially attacked using only basic forms. Then her creativity began to flow and after a few minutes she was actually quite enjoying herself. The small circular courtyard didn't afford much movement, and there was an ancient tree planted in the center. Katara would catch her breath when Zuko disappeared behind this, only for him to reappear a moment later, fists blazing.

The high stone walls that curved to form the courtyard were windowless, and for a few blissful minutes Katara forgot about everything that was troubling her. She focused on her attack, her defense and on Zuko's next move. When she knew she wasn't fighting for her life or for the future of her Nation, fighting was quite peaceful.

Or was this sparring? Could it be classed as fighting when there was nothing to be won?

The momentary lapse of concentration cost her; Zuko shot a stream of flames at her that she only just deflected. She almost lost her balance and stumbled up against the tree, flinging her arms backwards to steady herself against the bark.

"That was graceful," Zuko commented, the hard gold in his eyes melting away into amusement. He watched as Katara righted herself, brushing off stray leaves that had fell on her.

"Shut up. I had it under control."

Zuko's laughter signalled his disbelief. Katara raised her eyebrows. On the one hand, she was glad that his mind had been taken off the Earth King's threat. On the other hand…

She sent a torrent of water at him, splitting it carefully when it reached his torso and reconnecting it back on the other side so that it formed a loop around him. She jerked the water back towards her, and Zuko, no longer smug, lurched forwards, falling just at Katara's feet.

"This is good," Katara teased, looking down at him. "I like this."

Zuko got to his feet quickly. "I thought you were supposed to be cheering me up," he muttered, wringing out his robe.

"I was making you less angry," Katara corrected, retracting the water from him and storing it away. "It isn't the same thing."

Zuko took a step forward into the shade of the tree, closer to Katara. The sunlight through the leaves created a dappled effect across her face.

"I'm not angry now," he said softly. After the briefest of hesitations, he took another step forward.

Katara could've pushed him away. Should've pushed him away. He was close enough that she would've barely had to raise her arms. Instead, she found herself leaning towards him.

"Zuko…" she murmured, unable to look away from him. "We can't."

"I know," Zuko answered quietly, dropping his gaze and giving the tiniest of shrugs. "I just like being close to you."

She bit her lip and looked away from him. There were so many things she wanted, but they were things that her sense of duty stopped her from doing. What would happen if she didn't care about consequences?

People would get hurt.

"Close your eyes," she whispered, and Zuko obliged.

People would definitely get hurt.

After a moment more of deliberation, she cleared her mind and focused only on what she wanted, and when she closed her eyes, tilted her head and kissed him, there was no room in her heart left for guilt.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hope you enjoyed (:**

**Sorry the chapter was late, I've been really ill this last week. Apparently it's the flu, so that's just _wonderful_. Has anyone else had problems uploading in the last couple of days?**

**From what I gather, you can't force abdication, but you can stage an uprising, which is what the Earth King would have in mind. Y'know, because in his world he's powerful enough to control the monarchy of another country :P**

**Katara's "you have a nice shoulder" quote was something I actually said to my crush when in a similar position. I could've commented on his amazing eyes or fantastic personality...but no. I'm an idiot. Luckily he saw the funny side and thanked me.**

**Thank you for your reviews, they perked me right up when I was getting through days on only two hours of sleep.**

**Question five: would you rather be beautiful and poor, or ugly and rich?**

**Have a good week everyone,**

**- Momo **


	12. My Dreams Remain The Same

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

* * *

Zuko was the one to pull away first.

He didn't know why. Practically everything inside him was screaming for him to stay close to her, because this would probably be the only chance he'd get.

But it wasn't right. It wasn't how he'd wanted them to share their first kiss, with her still somebody else's girl.

Even so, no one could ever take away the fact that _she _had kissed _him_. He had a feeling that, whoever Katara chose to be with, he would cherish the thought.

"I'm sorry," Katara murmured, her gaze dropping to the ground as a blush heated up her cheeks. "I shouldn't have - I'm sorry." She stepped back, further into the shadows of the tree.

Zuko didn't know what to say. Should he brush off her apology and kiss her again, or agree with her or and walk away?

"You need to figure out what you're doing with Aang," he said. Aware that his voice had come out a little too gruffly, he cleared his throat and tried again. "I mean, I'm not comfortable being with you while you're with someone else. I'm not like that."

"And you think I am?" Katara asked, looking up at him furiously as her guilt faded. "I didn't exactly plan this!"

Zuko held up both hands in a 'don't kill me' gesture. "I know you didn't. I just meant that we shouldn't even be here-"

"Well, if you hadn't stormed off, I wouldn't have had to come after you!"

"-when I have the future of my Nation to work out," Zuko finished, lowering his hands with a scowl. The weighty truth of his words dawned on him, and he shook his head slowly as his voice turned faint with disbelief. "They'll take my throne from me."

"They won't," Katara promised, the anger she still felt at herself injecting harshness into her voice. She cleared her throat and tried to focus on Zuko's problem. "They won't," she repeated, softer this time.

"I need to talk to Uncle," Zuko said through numb lips.

As he turned and walked away without a word, Katara wondered if she should attack him again or if she should just allow him to come to terms with the situation by himself. She couldn't leave him by himself, that much was clear. Despite their brief…_distraction_, at any moment Zuko would lose his temper again. Katara just hoped that she wouldn't find herself weak enough to provide him with another _distraction_.

She followed him wordlessly out of the courtyard. He turned around once to acknowledged her presence, before facing forwards again and striding ahead.

The nearly collided with Sokka and Suki at the door back into the palace, and Katara felt a deep thankfulness that they hadn't entered the courtyard about a minute ago. That sight would've been difficult to explain.

"Hey, Zuko, are you-" Sokka began, raising a hand to clap his friend on the arm.

Zuko brushed past him without a word. Katara shot Sokka a look, expecting her brother to comment on the Fire Lord's rudeness. But the Water Tribe warrior just sighed and nodded.

"Yeah, I didn't think so."

"He's not doing so great," Katara said unnecessarily, watching Zuko's retreating figure. "I just want to keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn't blow anything up before he reaches the Dragon."

"Because a calming pot of tea is what he needs right now?" Sokka asked, confused.

"Because that's where Iroh is," Katara answered, frowning at her brother. "Sometimes I don't understand how we're related."

"Oh, like you're so smart?" Sokka's voice had a few octaves higher than was natural for a boy his age. "Remember when you-"

"Uh, guys?"

The siblings stopped their quarrel to look at Suki, who was pointing down the corridor. They turned just in time to see Zuko disappear from view.

"He left," she continued sheepishly.

Katara cursed under her breath. "See you back at the house?"

She didn't wait for a response, jogging off to catch up with someone who, in all honesty, was the last person she wanted to see. He confused her, made her test her loyalties, infuriated her…but she cared about him, and at the end of the day that overruled everything else.

* * *

Zuko knew that Katara was following him. She didn't try to keep it hidden, just like she didn't try to talk to him. Did she regret their kiss? Was it all an experiment on her part, just to see what she could've had? Would she go running back to her boyfriend the moment he returned?

The questions, coupled with ones about his future as Fire Lord, were too much. He shoved open every set of doors he came to until he found himself outside. The sun beat down on him, but he didn't take comfort from it. His natural element seemed to be mocking him, taunting him about everything he stood to lose.

The carriage that would take him to the Dragon came into view, and Zuko deliberated whether he should take it or just carry on walking. Then again, he was conspicuous enough without the ceremonial robes he still wore and the carriage would get him to his destination faster than if he walked…

"Fire Lord Zuko," the driver acknowledged, bowing deeply. By the time he had risen, he had to add on, "Lady Katara."

Zuko almost groaned. Of course Katara would want to accompany him in the carriage, but for Zuko it was just another load on his mind that he could do without.

"I want to travel by myself," he told Katara bluntly as she came to a stop behind him. He quickly turned away from her to climb up into the carriage, avoiding the hurt look he knew he'd see in her eyes if he didn't.

He couldn't escape from the painful confusion in her tone, though, when she asked, "You want to…?"

"Travel alone," Zuko clarified, taking a seat and looking down at her from out of the window. "I'll see you later."

Katara stood around uncertainly, moving only when the driver gave her an apologetic smile and positioned himself to drive away without her.

"See you then," she murmured, turning and walking out of the gates.

She was trying to hard not to be selfish, but she couldn't help feel a little bit rejected. Of course Zuko was right to put his future before her, but would at least a little bit of discussion about the kiss they'd shared kill him? Probably not. No, strike that. _Definitely_ not. Because her future was at stake here too. He'd indicated his feelings but until Katara knew for sure that what he felt for her was real, she had no intention of breaking Aang's heart.

She wiped at the tears that were gathering in the corners of her eyes. She didn't like the person she was becoming, the one who toyed with hearts like they were the strings of puppets. She was ashamed of herself, and what was worse, she was sure that her friends and family would be ashamed of her too.

* * *

"We'll organise a ship home immediately," Iroh said once he had heard the recent turn of events.

Zuko deflated and ran an agitated hand through his hair. He had been hoping for his uncle to laugh off his worries with an assurance that the Earth King couldn't do anything of the sort, then maybe giving him a small cake and sending him on his way.

It had been a little too optimistic, Zuko decided as he watched Iroh scowl into the pot of tea he was filling.

"I don't understand why the Earth King would have any power in a Nation he doesn't rule," Zuko said, voicing the thought that had been circling in his head for an hour.

"Ordinarily, he wouldn't," Iroh said gravely, focusing his energies on heating up the tea. "In any other circumstances he would organise a meeting with the Fire Nation Council, who would listen before politely rejecting his ideas." Steam rose from the teapot. Iroh placed two small cups down on the counter. "But with tensions between the Nations still so high, there's a chance that the Council will agree to whatever the Earth King suggests just to keep the peace."

"Katara said that it doesn't matter if the Earth King signs the peace treaty or not, because other cities in the Earth Kingdom will regardless," Zuko said, but for some reason the point didn't seem as valid now as it had in the meeting.

"Some cities may be loyal to the Avatar," Iroh said after a careful pause, "but many more are loyal to their Nation, and as the capital, Ba Sing Se holds a lot of influence. Unless cities have their own monarchs, like King Bumi of Omashu, it is likely that where Ba Sing Se treads, they will follow." He sighed heavily and poured out the tea. The splash as it hit the bottom of the cup was the only noise in the kitchen until Iroh spoke again. "There is not much point in a peace treaty that excludes the largest Nation."

"This isn't fair," Zuko snarled softly. "I thought all the obstacles would disappear with the defeat of Ozai, but there's always something."

"Yes, and there always will be something." Iroh offered a cup to his nephew, who refused it with a shake of his head. "Sometimes life is about overcoming one obstacle after another, with little time to reap the benefits. If you find you cannot handle that, maybe you should consider the Earth King's proposal. There has never been a more difficult time to be Fire Lord and I fear you won't have time to relax at all in the coming months and years." Iroh watched Zuko closely, gauging the impact his words were having.

"I was born to be Fire Lord," Zuko said, scowling.

"So was I," Iroh pointed out, taking a sip of his tea. "Circumstances change."

Zuko's anger faded, and his eyes widened with hurt, which he quickly tried to mask.

"Uncle, do you not want me to be Fire Lord?" His tone, which had meant to come out as accusing, was wounded.

"All I want, all I have ever wanted, is your happiness." Iroh held Zuko's gaze. "If you wish to be Fire Lord, I will support you and fight anyone who tries to take it away. But I feel that I must point out that this could be your only opportunity to take a step back from ruling the Nation, even if it's just for a few years. You have had such a difficult life, and if you throw yourself into ruling the Nation then you will find what is left of your youth slip away. You deserve a rest." He smiled sadly. "A man needs his rest."

Zuko nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He had been given too much to think about in one day, and his head threatened to explode under the pressure of a decision that would change the lives of thousands of people.

He picked up the cup he had previously declined and swirled it around gently, watching the tea come dangerously close to spilling. Once he tired of that, he lifted the cup to his lips and downed the liquid inside. It burned down his throat.

"How long do I have to decide?" he asked, once the residue of tea leaves had gone.

"As long as you need," Iroh said, a determined look stuck firmly in his eyes. "I will ensure the Earth King holds off until you feel you're ready."

Zuko nodded again. He should be grateful, but all he felt was confusion and an overwhelming fear of how a single decision could cause another outbreak of war.

"I should've stayed in bed this morning," he groaned after a moment.

Iroh looked sheepish. "I believe you woke up at the Avatar's house this morning."

Had that really only been this morning? It was almost unbelievable.

"Which I still wish to discuss with you, by the way," Iroh continued, adopting a stern look. "I don't approve of you spending the night with Katara-"

"It wasn't like that," Zuko cut across quickly. "I mean, yes, we slept together," he winced at how that had sounded, "no, that isn't what I mean. We fell asleep together, and that's all that happened. I would never...not while Aang's still...as if things aren't already awkward enough now…" he realized he was rambling and shut up. He massaged his aching temples. "Can we go back to talking about politics?"

"We could," Iroh said, devilish grin in place, "but it's more amusing watching you squirm."

"And you say you have my best interests at heart," Zuko grumbled, but he smiled. "Thank you, Uncle." A wave of fatigue washed over him and he stifled a yawn. "I'm going for a lie down."

"Don't forget, you need to dress smartly for dinner tonight," Iroh said, turning back to the teapots.

"I don't need reminding, Uncle," Zuko said with a sigh, before instantly realizing that he didn't know where they were dining that night. "Although just to be awkward let's say I didn't remember where we're going."

Iroh gave his nephew a wry smile. "It's a small restaurant called The Stuffed Bear, located in the Middle Ring. We passed it once or twice when we lived in the City, I believe."

"Weird name for a restaurant," Zuko mused. "Just 'Bear'? Not 'Armadillo-Bear' or 'Skunk-Bear'?"

"Just 'Bear,'" Iroh confirmed. "The owners were kind enough to offer an invitation, which it seemed a good idea to accept given that we could very soon be needing allies. Now go and get some sleep."

"If we need allies, I doubt two middle-ring citizens would be much help," Zuko muttered as he left the kitchen.

"Don't underestimate those willing to help you," Iroh said quietly, draining his cup of tea and pouring himself another.

* * *

Zuko didn't sleep. He lay on his bed, unable to get comfortable, for what seemed like hours. The ceiling had three cracks in it and the paint was uneven in places. If he tilted his head one way, the dry bubbles of the paint looked like craters of the moon. If he tilted his head the other way…he would smack it into the wall.

"Ouch," he muttered, rubbing the sore spot.

The headache that resulted was almost blinding. Zuko was certain that, if he could just clear his thoughts, the pain would cease. He tried meditation, but the candles flared irrationally and, rather than set the room on fire, he decided to just ask his uncle for some more tea. He was bound to have something that would soothe his pounding head.

"Uncle?" he called as he descended the stairs. "Uncle, I need some tea!"

"As much as I've longed for the day you'd say that, we have company," Iroh replied, the grave note in his voice causing Zuko's stomach to plummet.

"What is it? What's wrong?" he demanded, rounding the corner and almost colliding with someone.

He quickly righted himself and, before acknowledging the other person's presence, checked on his uncle. Iroh gave his nephew a swift, reassuring nod before clearing his throat.

"I'll leave the two of you alone," he said. "Nice to see you, Sokka."

"You too," Sokka answered, giving the older man a strained smile.

Zuko watched his uncle leave with more than a hint of confusion. Was Sokka here to deliver bad news?

"Is Katara alright?" Zuko asked, voicing the first worry to come into his mind.

"She's fine," Sokka said, frowning at Zuko's unusually sharp tone. "She's what I came here to talk about, actually." The warrior folded his arms across his chest in an act that, had Zuko been brought up differently, he would've recognized as an indication of the brotherly protection Sokka felt for Katara. "She came home just now in some sort of daze…wouldn't tell us where she'd been or why she'd been crying, so I'm to guess it has something to do with you, since you're the one who saw her last."

Zuko shifted uncomfortably. "Sokka, I didn't mean to-"

"But you did anyway," Sokka cut him off with a raised hand. "I don't know what's going on with you two, but you need to back off. She's with someone else, and he makes her happy."

"You don't know that!" Zuko argued, inadvertently admitting that he wasn't completely innocent.

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "So it's true."

His voice was calm and steady, but Zuko knew that he was anything but unruffled. The Water Tribe siblings shared the same dangerous look in their eyes when they were angry. Before Zuko could say anything, Sokka took a step forward and, in an admittedly brave move, squared up to the Fire Lord.

"Stay away from my sister."

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hello, hope you all enjoyed. Sorry it's a little late, everything's a bit up in the air at the moment. What made Sokka react the way he did? Find out next chapter. Also, a Toph and Aang update.**

**Thank you for your reviews, I'm sorry I couldn't get back to all of you.**

**Question six: what books are you reading at the moment?**

**Have a good next couple of weeks, guys!**

**- Momo**


	13. Don't Be So Distant

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

* * *

To Toph and Aang's surprise, they were led out of Siyu for dinner later that evening.

"Great," Toph muttered the moment she left solid ground. "More sand."

"That's kind of what you expect in a desert," Aang answered, trudging along behind an excitable Aya.

"During the war, the citizens of Siyu would often come into the desert at night for a feast," she was saying, her gleaming eyes fixed on the campfire a few feet ahead of them. Its fire rose high into the night. "The Fire Nation soldiers guarding the gate were easily bribed and, as long as we were back in the town by sunrise, there was never a problem."

Aya stopped when she reached a makeshift campfire with low wooden benches positioned awkwardly around it. She took a deep breath and smiled.

"It's ironic that we would find solace in fire," she admitted, gesturing for Toph and Aang to take a seat. "But the campfire meant freedom for us. We'd pass around whatever supplies we had and pray to Bhumi for the war to end."

"Bhumi?" Toph echoed, sinking her feet into the cold sand and shuddering.

"Earth Goddess," Aang answered, sitting beside her.

"That's right," Aya said with a surprised smile, as though the Avatar of all people would be unfamiliar with deities. "We prayed to Her and, sure enough, She gathered the strength necessary to end the war. We believe that a treaty with the Fire Nation will anger Her, and we owe Bhumi so much already."

Someone from the other side of the campfire called Aya over, and a smile lit up her face.

"Will you excuse me? My fiancé…" she began, nodding in the young man's direction.

"Sure. Congratulations on getting engaged."

Toph wasn't sure if her sentiments sounded insincere to anyone's ears but her own. She quickly decided she didn't care.

"I really don't like her," she said aloud the moment the older girl was out of earshot. "Sounds like she's hiding behind the spirits, if you ask me. "

Aang frowned, the fire in front of him reflecting in his eyes. "I don't think that's fair."

Toph shrugged. "What can I say? I'm not really a spiritual person. Avatar Spirit thing aside," she added with a wave of her hand. She inhaled. "Know what I _do_ believe in? Food. Campfire food, especially. There's just something about it…" she trailed off with a shaky laugh.

Aang didn't reply, and Toph immediately felt stupid. She flexed her toes, unsure if she enjoyed feeling sand beneath her feet again. Should she have kept her mouth shut about the spirits?

_No, _she decided after a moment of reflection. _I won't be one of the girls who changes their beliefs to get a boy to like them. Even if it is Aang._

She listened as other townspeople began to arrive, greeting each other before falling silent as, Toph imagined, they noticed the Avatar and his little blind friend. They'd exchange a whisper or two, before sitting down - generally on the furthest bench away - and continuing the gossip.

"So much for honored guests, huh?" she muttered, kicking the sand up into a small cloud.

"Yeah, I'm feeling a little rejected," Aang replied, flicking his fingers so that a casual breeze blew some grains of sand away from his feet. "But hey, I guess we shouldn't be surprised that people are wary of us."

"Right," Toph answered sarcastically, "because who wouldn't be afraid of two kids who saved the world?"

"I think that's it, though," Aang said seriously, turning to look at Toph with eyes that made her stomach do a small flip, much to her embarrassment. "We're just kids, and we managed to do in a few months what they've all failed to for over a hundred years."

He sighed as another round of murmurs travelled through the group. The townspeople could at least have the decency to be subtle about their obvious mistrust of him.

"Who needs them?" Toph asked, elbowing Aang and bringing him back to reality. "If they don't want to sign the treaty by the end of the night, I say we just head back to Ba Sing Se. As long as the Earth King's on our side, I'd say we're covered."

Aang nodded but he wasn't entirely convinced. For the next few minutes, he stared into the campfire, watching all the sparks that flew out into the sand and, not for the first time, wishing he was a better Avatar. The war was over, so everyone should just get along. He knew how childish and naïve that sounded, but it was true. He should know how to get the Nations to unite without any difficulty, he should know how to secure the world's future safety.

But he didn't. All he ever seemed to do when faced with a problem, he realized miserably, was to wing it and hope for the best. Their plans never seemed to go well, if there was time to make a plan at all.

"Toph?"

"Yeah, Twinkletoes?"

"Am I a bad Avatar?"

Toph was on the verge of making a joke when she registered the seriousness of his tone. She frowned and shuffled awkwardly on the bench. It always worried her when Aang was uncertain; he was always to bright, so optimistic.

"Of course not," she answered. "You're a great Avatar. If it wasn't for you, this whole Nation would be a smoking crater right about now."

Aang's gaze dropped to the sand beneath him. "I know. I'm just worried that that's what'll actually happen if no one comes to an agreement."

"They will." It wasn't much of an assurance, but it was the best that she could do. When Aang didn't seem to cheer up, she sighed and tried again. "People trust the Avatar. Maybe not at first, maybe there's some people who are a little uncertain, but eventually everyone comes around. They get that you know what's best. You've been around the entire world, and these jerks," she paused to shove her thumb in the general direction of the cluster of heartbeats she could hear faintly through the sand, "haven't even been outside the desert. They have no idea about the war. They've felt the effects, sure, but they don't seem to get that everyone else has too. Once they realize that, they'll be falling over themselves to sign anything you throw at them. It just might take them more than a couple of days to figure it out." After only a moment of hesitation, she slipped an arm around Aang's shoulder and drew him closer to her. "You can do this," she assured him. "I believe in you."

_I can't believe I just said that, _Toph thought, mentally groaning. _How stupid does it sound?_

But Aang seemed pacified. His heart rate slowed steadily until it was beating at normal speed. He took a deep breath and nodded, giving Toph an affectionate side-hug.

"Thanks."

"No problem, Aang."

_Just say it: I like you. How difficult is it? Sure, he's got a girlfriend, but she likes someone else anyway. They might even be together by the time we get back. Just say it. Just open your mouth and say it. What's the worst that could happen? Just say it. Don't be a coward. Just say it._

"Aang, I-"

"Oh hey, they're serving the food!" Aang interrupted, his mood perking up. "You want something?"

"Sure," Toph answered, dejected.

She didn't know what made her feel worse; that she might never get a chance to tell Aang how she felt, or that food had cheered him up more than she had.

* * *

After Zuko left her, Katara, after a little crying stint, had intended to go straight back to the house and, as Toph would say, 'suck it up.' But the best laid plans fall to ruin, and Katara found that a split-second decision suffers this too. After wandering around for who knew how long, she was agitated and her lip was close to bleeding from the amount of times she'd gnawed on it. The same thoughts were circling in her mind: she didn't want to be angry at Zuko for putting his country before her. It was weak and petty and typical of the sort of dependent girl that Katara prayed she would never become.

And yet, mild irritation niggled at the back of her mind.

_Aang always puts you first,_ a voice whispered in her mind.

She shook the thought off and continued walking through the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se. Many residents smiled or greeted her as she passed. She nodded back, not wanting to engage in conversation with any of them. Most were consumed by the society balls they so meticulously planned, others were so determined to hold up the façade of youth and beauty that they failed to see how soulless they were becoming.

Zuko had mentioned in passing that high society Fire Nation citizens were the same, and Katara felt a familiar pang of homesickness for the beautiful icy wasteland she called home. At least everyone was equal there.

She briefly considered going to the Dragon for a calming cup of tea, only to realize it would make her seem like she was chasing down Zuko. She didn't have any money on her, so shopping was out of the question, and she wasn't in the mood to charm her way into free gifts.

Going back to the house really was the only option. She just hoped that Sokka and Suki weren't home yet, so she could remain undisturbed.

* * *

"We should send Aang a letter," Sokka said, making a beeline for his bedroom the moment he and Suki entered the house.

"He's only been gone for a day, do you miss him that much already?" Suki asked dubiously, wincing as she heard Sokka crashing about in his room. She was about to ask what he was doing, but it occurred to her that she was probably better off not knowing.

"No," Sokka answered, coming back into the main room with writing equipment bundled into his arms. "We need to let him know what's going on. The Earth King refusing to sign the treaty changes everything."

The frustration that bit into his tone made Suki realize that Sokka was truly worried, something that didn't happen all too often. She took a seat next to him, placing a soothing hand over his and kissing him on the cheek.

"Don't worry," she murmured. "Clear your head before you start writing anything. We don't want to worry Aang over nothing."

"Nothing?" Sokka repeated, snatching his hand out from under hers. "Suki, if the Earth King means what he says, then it changes everything. There could be rebellions and a new Fire Lord we don't trust and poverty could get even worse if people don't start trading with each other!"

Suki watched him sadly as his fingers clenched around the writing brush.

"How do I start it off?" Sokka asked himself quietly. "Where do I even send it to?"

"Try something to the point," Suki suggested, keeping a careful distance. "Something that's light for Hawky to carry, that way he can get it there faster."

"How about, 'Aang, come quick, it got worse'?"

Suki paused. "Or maybe 'Aang, problem with the treaty, get back to Ba Sing Se as soon as possible' ?"

"Mine's more to the point," Sokka muttered, but copied down Suki's words anyway. He tapped his fingers impatiently on the table, waiting for the ink to dry. "I can't believe this is happening. We were supposed to have sorted everything out. Everything was supposed to get better."

"I know," Suki said quietly. "I guess we were naïve to think that everything would just fit into place."

A feeling of helplessness washed over her as Sokka stood up and left the room abruptly. She watched him go and debated whether to follow him. They were feeling the same things, after all; both had fought to preserve the world, and had briefly succeeded only for another problem to rise from the ashes. Now it seemed like they'd never have a normal life.

The front door opened just as the door to Sokka's room slammed shut. Katara strode in without a glance around and disappeared from the room. A moment later, her door closed too.

She had been crying, Suki could tell, and the knowledge made her feel even worse. Everyone seemed to be pulling away from her, refusing to let her into their individual worlds of worry.

Carefully rolling up the now-dry parchment, Suki slipped a thin ribbon over it and balanced it on her fingers distractedly. Sokka was easy enough to figure out: he was upset that there was another obstacle to overcome. It would've been easy to assume that Katara had been crying over the same problem, but several pieces of a complicated puzzle were beginning to fall into place.

Sokka and Suki had walked in on Zuko and Katara asleep together that morning. The previous day they'd been together for hours. The previous night someone had made dinner. Candles had obviously been lit. Just an hour or so ago, Katara had been the first to follow Zuko when he had stormed off. Twice. She had been the last one to see him and now she comes home in tears?

Suki shook her head. It couldn't be. It didn't make sense. Katara was with _Aang_. She wouldn't do anything to hurt him. Sokka had told her what Katara was like when Zuko first joined the group and how far she'd go to protect Aang.

She made her way to the kitchen, retrieved a bowl and filled it with the kind of savoury pastries that Suki figured had to accompany a girl talk. The Kyoshi Warriors, as close as they had been, had never been ones to discuss their feelings. There was little to talk about; before the Avatar had visited, none of them had ever been off the island.

"Katara?" Suki called, knocking on the Waterbender's door as she tried to balance the bowl. "Katara, can I come in?"

No answer.

"You better be decent, because I'm coming in anyway."

True to her word, Suki pushed opened the door, glad that Katara hadn't locked it. That would've been quite embarrassing.

Katara was curled up on her bed, facing the wall and showing no signs of wanting to talk. It didn't stop Suki.

"I have some of those fried things you like," she said, closing the door behind her and walking over to the bed. She perched on the end of it and continued talking into the bowl. "They're probably really bad for you but I figure that doesn't count when your heart hurts."

There was a sharp intake of breath, and Suki knew that her hunch had been right. She didn't understand what was going on.

"I just miss Aang, that's all," Katara said, her face burrowed into her pillow.

"I don't think that's it," Suki said slowly. "And I don't get why you're lying about something that you should be feeling when you're in a relationship."

"Did you come here to lecture me?" Katara demanded, her fingers clenching around the bedclothes. "Flaunt your _perfect _relationship in front of my face?"

"I came here to talk some sense into you," Suki answered, frowning. "I've got a pretty good idea what's going on, and I think you're making a mistake."

"You've no idea what's going on," Katara snapped, sitting up so quickly that the movement knocked the bowl to the floor. "You've never had to make a choice like this."

Suki nodded in silent agreement and bent down to scoop the pastries off the floor. She was trying to stall for time, trying to think of something to say that wouldn't enrage the other girl.

"I thought you were happy with Aang," she said, straightening up slowly and dropping the pastries back into the bowl.

"In another world, I would've been," Katara admitted. "But things aren't straightforward here and I'm confused. If I'd had more time to think…"

"You've been with Aang for almost a year, how much more time do you need?" Suki asked, a scowl marking her pretty features.

"I don't know!" Katara snapped. The glass of water at her bedside table shook violently. She glared at it, before sighing and looking down at the bed. The water instantly calmed. "I'm not an idiot. I know that Aang is the only one I should be thinking about. I know he's what's best for me."

"But you want more." Suki couldn't bring herself to phrase it as a question, worried she'd sound like she was judging Katara. Which she sort of was, but she didn't want her friend to know that.

Suki took Katara's silence as an agreement and found herself without anything more to say. She didn't agree with Katara's choice to even think about being with anyone but Aang, and she knew that Katara needed comforting rather than berating right now.

"We should get ready for dinner," was all she managed. "I'll leave you with the pastries." She stood up and was about to leave when she paused and turned around. "We were talking about you and Zuko, right?"

Katara lifted her head and glared. "Right."

"Okay, just so we're clear."

Suki left and closed the door. What a mess. Now to listen to Sokka's problem. She crossed the hallway to his bedroom, rehearsing what she would say to avoid upsetting him. Her stomach dropped when she saw that his bedroom door was open. He wasn't inside.

_It's alright, he probably just went to the kitchen, _Suki told herself. _No reason to panic. No reason to think he might've heard what Katara said._ _No reason to think he might've overreacted._

At a quicker pace than she may usually have taken, Suki approached the kitchen. Nothing. It was only when she checked the living room that she noticed the front door was open.

"Sokka, tell me you didn't," Suki murmured, running a frustrated hand through her hair.

* * *

He had. And as Zuko tried to form a response to "stay away from my sister," the younger warrior was getting angry.

So he hadn't exactly _asked_ Katara what was wrong. He'd overheard her and Suki's little chat, and it had set his blood boiling. He's stormed from his room straight over here without much thought to what he would say. It turned out that he was aggressive when he wasn't thinking.

"We're friends, that's all," Zuko said eventually, but even he knew that his prolonged pause didn't exactly prove his innocence.

Sokka deflated a little, his shoulders dropping. He took a step back and folded his arms over his chest.

"Katara's happy for the first time in awhile. Aang's really good for her. He'd never hurt her."

"_I'd_ never hurt her," Zuko pointed out, annoyed.

Sokka looked uncomfortably at the wall. "'Never' kind of includes the past as well." He noticed Zuko open his mouth furiously and cut him across. "This little crush you have on her is nice and everything, but Zuko, she's with someone. And I think it's pretty low to sneak in when her boyfriend goes away on his Avatar duties. You're a decent guy, but you're not right for her. So just…back off a little, okay?"

He offered the Fire Lord a tentative smile, as though his words had solved everything.

"We're friends," Zuko clarified. "But I'm sure Katara appreciates your concern."

Sokka nodded, then a worried look passed over his face. "Let's not mention it to her."

"Agreed."

* * *

The Stuffed Bear restaurant didn't look like much, but the way Iroh kept going on about it, Zuko figured the food must be good. He only hoped that Stuffed Bear wasn't actually on the menu.

Their carriage rolled to a leisurely stop, and Zuko got out. The quicker this night went, the quicker he could get into bed and sleep away his problems. He waited impatiently for his uncle to step into the admittedly pleasant warm air of the Earth Kingdom night and wondered, as he did, if Katara was here yet, and what he should say to her if she was.

"Let's just get this over with," Zuko muttered, climbing the three steps leading up to the modestly-sized restaurant which, he discovered as he opened the door, had only a few tables. These had all been pushed together to seat the last-minute guests.

Zuko raised his eyebrow as he scanned the old men at the table. The swordsmaster Piandao sat talking intently with Sokka, Katara's Master Pakku leant back in his chair, surveying the room in boredom, Jeong Jeong the Deserter flicked the flame of a lit candle irritably, while King Bumi seemed deep in conversation with the koi fish swimming around a decorative tank in the corner.

"I call the Order of the White Lotus to order," Iroh called gravely, to a suddenly respectful silence.

Zuko turned to Iroh with a warning frown.

"If this is about Pai Sho, I'm leaving right now."

Iroh smiled, his eyes still on the table. "We're about to solve all of your problems."

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hello all. Let me start off by saying how very sorry I am about the delay in updating. Between turning 18 and travelling up and down the country visiting Universities, I really haven't had all that much time to write. I hope you enjoyed, and that the chapter was worth it (:**

**Thank you to the reviewers, and to those who PM'd me wanting to know about the next chapter. You guys kicked me into shape!**

**Have you all seen the trailers for The Last Airbender movie? I think I've traumatised my cat with the amount of squeeing I've done. Plus she was trying to sleep on my bed when I was watching the Avatar finale (S2 and S3 finally came out on DVD over here! On it like a car bonnet) which involved me shouting and swearing at the screen quite a bit. Yep, still has the same 'WTF, Aang?!' effect on me.**

**Aaaaaaaaanyway, question seven: what's your favourite Avatar episode?**

**I promise the update won't take as long next time, have a good week everyone,**

**- Momo**


	14. Lost You So Early

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

* * *

Half an hour later - King Bumi refused to start the discussions without Momo present - the group was seated at their tables, pushed together to form a square. This way, everyone could see each other. However, this also meant that Zuko and Katara could see each other, making it very difficult for them to ignore one another.

"You definitely want to be Fire Lord?" Pakku asked Zuko, breaking into the young man's reverie by leaning forward in anticipation of his answer.

"I…I think so," Zuko replied, caught off guard as he felt the eyes of everyone at the table swivel towards him.

"Think so, or know so?" Pakku pressed, the wrinkles on his forehead deepening as he frowned.

"Think so," Zuko repeated firmly. "This isn't a decision I want to rush into."

"Rightly so," Iroh said, coming swiftly to his nephew's defense. "I have promised Zuko all the time he needs."

"That's noble of you, but I doubt the Earth King will be as generous," Pakku shot back, taking a bite out of a bread roll.

"I'm sure we can buy some time," Piandao cut in, before Iroh could say anything.

"We don't have that much gold!" Bumi cracked, grinning widely. "To buy time," he elaborated when he noticed the stares he was getting. "We need more time than we have gold pieces, is what I'm trying to say."

"The Earth King will just have to accept it," Iroh said, turning back to Pakku after a short pause.

"Accept it?" Pakku repeated scornfully. "He doesn't want Zuko as Fire Lord in the first place, he certainly won't let us kick back and relax for a few days while the boy makes up his mind!"

"We shouldn't rush him into making a decision that will literally change the world," Piandao said, his tone calm and level.

"If we don't, the Earth King will pull some stunt that'll have us worse off anyway," Sokka said, lightly salting the fish that lay on his plate. "Is there anyone in the Fire Nation you trust to rule in Zuko's place?"

"We don't know who's still loyal to Ozai, who still thinks his regime worked, who still wants his plans to go ahead…" Iroh trailed off with a sigh. "There are too many unanswered questions to just pick someone from obscurity."

Zuko sat there, allowing the debates to wash over him. His uncle was right; it was too much of a risk to pick someone already established in the Fire Nation government. But then to choose someone else, a common citizen, would bring problems as well. On the other hand (this was, what, the fourth hand?) Zuko would only feel comfortable ruling if his uncle was there to advise him, and he hated the idea of tearing Iroh away from his teashop.

"Do you have any other relatives that could rule?" Suki asked, scooping rice into her bowl.

"You mean that aren't in prison, in a mental institution, or missing? No." Zuko's bitter tone sent a ripple of awkwardness across the able. "And this meeting isn't solving any of my problems," he added to the older men. "If anything, it's just making new ones!"

"Zuko," Katara said softly, speaking for the first time. "We're trying."

Hs anger melted when he looked into her eyes. They held such sadness, and Zuko instinctively felt bad, although he knew she wasn't just upset about the meeting.

He nodded wordlessly and looked down. The discussion continued around him.

* * *

"This is getting ridiculous," Toph muttered, after an hour of social exile. "We're supposed to be the guests of honor at this thing, and no one will even talk to us."

"Or look at us," Aang added glumly. "Or acknowledge us in any way."

"This party sucks," Toph concluded, kicking at the sand again. "Can't we just go back to Ba Sing Se already?"

"No," Aang replied, although it was tempting.

"Come on," Toph wheedled, a tone she used only as a last resort. "I'm dying a slow death here, and it's killing me!"

"Death kills you," Aang muttered. "Who knew?"

"It just goes to show how fed up I am that I'm not even going to reply," Toph said, drumming her fingers rhythmically on the wooden bench they sat on. "And that's when you know things are-"

"What's that?" Aang interrupted, squinting into the dark sky.

"Not another comet, is it?" Toph asked dryly. "Because I'd actually sort of welcome that."

"No…no, it's…Hawky?"

Aang stood up quickly, nearly overturning the bench in his eagerness.

"Of course, why didn't I see it before?"

Aang ignored her over-dramatic gasp and followed the messenger hawk's progress carefully. The bird circled twice, scanning the desert critically, before making its smooth descent.

"Hey boy," Aang said, holding out an arm for the hawk to land on. "You got a message for us?"

While Aang coaxed the hawk into releasing its message, Toph noticed the silence that had fallen around them, and was willing to bet that the sudden appearance of a Fire Nation messenger hawk had freaked more than a few people out. The thought made her smile, until she realized that their friends back in Ba Sing Se wouldn't have sent a message after only a day apart unless something was wrong.

"Toph, we need to go back," Aang said after a few agonizing moments of silence. His voice was tight, and Toph knew that something was indeed wrong.

"What is it?" she asked, a thousand scenarios sprinting through her mind as she felt his heart race.

"It says 'Aang, problem with the treaty, get back to Ba Sing Se as soon as possible,'" the Avatar read out in a strangled voice.

Toph released the breath she had been holding. "That isn't so bad," she said. "I thought it was something worse, like…" She didn't want to name the horrible things she had thought, so let her voice trail away. "This means that we're going back then, right?"

"Right." Aang stared down at the parchment for one more minute and then shook his head and folded it up tightly. "Go and get Appa for me, will you? I'll…give our apologies or something to everyone."

Toph nodded slowly, still confused about what she saw as his overreaction. She didn't understand, though. She wasn't responsible for the well-being of the world, and if the treaty was facing difficulties before it had even been drawn up, it didn't bode well for the future. It was just more pressure.

The citizens of Siyu didn't even bother concealing their stares as he walked across the campsite in utter silence. Aya watched him approach cautiously, standing up when he reached her. Her fiancé stood to the side of her, clasping her hand protectively. Aang noticed with passivity but didn't comment. If these people didn't trust him, that was their problem.

"Toph and I need to go back to Ba Sing Se immediately," he announced. "Thank you for your hospitality. Please tell the Mayor that I regret not being able to thank him personally." He bowed almost mechanically, as expressionless as he had been when faced with Koh. "Goodbye."

"Safe passage, Avatar Aang," Aya replied, bowing in return. Her eyes never left Aang's, and this last sign of mistrustfulness almost caused Aang to say something more.

Instead, he nodded and walked away. Perhaps his semi-threat about letting the Earth King deal with the town had been too far. It didn't matter. It didn't matter what one town thought, not any more, not if the most powerful city in the nation was against them.

The journey back to Ba Sing Se was a silent, solemn one.

* * *

Back in The Stuffed Bear, the atmosphere wasn't much better. Everyone picked at their food, their talking points either argued about too much or resolved altogether.

Bumi attempted to strike up a conversation about his new hat, but that fell quickly on its face when he realised that no one really cared.

"I'm just saying, it's a nice hat," he said as a last-ditch attempt to get people talking.

"It's made out of _growing crystal_," Sokka replied, gnawing on his possum-chicken bone. "It'll either suffocate you or make you fall over."

"It isn't the best choice for a hat," Katara agreed, taking a sip of her water.

"But it's delicious!"

"Exactly," Sokka said. "When's the last time you owned an edible hat?"

"Flopsie likes it," Bumi sniffed.

"And you always go to your pet for fashion advice?" Sokka asked, eyeing up a bread roll on Suki's plate. Suki rolled her eyes and passed it to him.

"Flopsie is like Momo here," Bumi answered, scratching Momo behind the ears so that he purred. "Wise beyond his years."

Sokka opened his mouth to argue - Suki and Katara immediately ordered him to swallow his food before he spoke - but couldn't think of anything to say.

The table fell back into silence.

Zuko watched Katara slowly tear a bread roll to pieces, really hoping that she wasn't imagining his head as she did it. He would talk to her, he decided, the moment the meeting was over. He would offer to walk her home, maybe even give her a kiss goodbye. On the cheek, of course, because nothing had changed. That said, he wasn't really suave enough to pull off a kiss on the cheek. Plus, he might _accidentally_ miss and find her lips instead.

"Why are you smiling like that?" Katara asked quietly, breaking through Zuko's thoughts.

"I was just…" he faltered as everyone else looked at him. "Remembering…something."

"Oh really?" Sokka asked, sceptically. "What?"

"Nothing you'll find funny," is what Zuko _should_ have said. Of course, being Zuko, he stammered something intelligible, cleared his throat, then continued with, "When I was in th-the Fire Nation a few weeks ago I, I fell into the pond. And someone made a joke. And it was funny."

A beat.

"Sounds hilarious," Sokka said, turning back to his almost empty plate.

"I guess you had to be there," Zuko answered uncomfortably.

"I guess so," Sokka repeated flatly. He looked at the rest of the table. "So, do we get dessert?"

"Sokka!"

Sokka glanced at his sister and shrugged. "What? I'm just asking."

Katara rolled her eyes, although she had been secretly hoping for pudding.

"Why don't we go back to the house?" Suki suggested. "Some residents brought by some cakes they'd baked for us for the other day, we can have those."

Sokka turned slowly to his girlfriend. Katara knew what was about to happen, caught Zuko's eye and mouthed "_watch this._"

"They _what_?" Sokka asked, his eyes wide.

"They brought cake," Suki answered uncomfortably. "I couldn't tell you because you'd have eaten it all in half an hour."

"Try twenty minutes," Katara muttered, but Sokka ignored her.

"Suki…the minute we start to lie to each other is the minute our relationship starts to crumble," Sokka said, perfectly serious, as he looked Suki sincerely in the eyes.

"Sokka, it's cake."

Sokka ignored his sister. "What cake was it, Suki?"

"Sokka, I don't-"

"What cake?"

The rest of the table turned to Suki in amused anticipation.

"One had lychee nuts in it," Suki murmured.

Sokka made a noise like a wounded animal.

"This is absurd," Zuko muttered to Katara, who nodded and grinned.

"Fun, isn't it?" She glanced around at everyone else, before adding in a louder voice, "I think it's time to go."

"One minute," Pakku said, holding a hand up to her, his eyes trained on the warring couple. "I want to see how this ends."

"Usually it ends with Suki losing her temper before Sokka realizes he's an idiot," Katara replied. "Although sometimes he apologizes when he sees a certain look in her eyes. Kind of like the one she's wearing now." As no one showed any signs of moving, she sighed. "I'll see you back at the house."

"I'll walk you there," Zuko offered almost immediately. He nodded at Sokka and Suki. "I know how this is going to end anyway."

They thanked the owners of the restaurant and gave them a generous tip when the couple insisted the meal was on the house.

"It's a nice night," Zuko said once they were outside.

"Starry," Katara agreed.

It struck her that a walk alone with Zuko was perhaps not the best plan of action. As much as she hated herself for kissing him while she was with Aang, she was still kind of mad at him for pulling away. Still, there wasn't much she could do about it now.

"Do Sokka and Suki fight like that a lot?" Zuko asked, watching the road beneath him rather than his companion.

"Sometimes," Katara replied, running her hand along the edge of a wall and accidentally collecting moisture from the moss inside where the stones had been built together. She released the liquid back into the cracks and dropped her hand.

Zuko nodded. "Nice meal?" he tried again.

"Yeah."

Zuko sighed in frustration. "Are you still mad at me?"

Katara considered lying. It was a brief consideration.

"Yes." When Zuko didn't answer, she rolled her eyes. "And I know it's childish and pathetic, but I can't help it."

"It isn't that I don't like you," Zuko told her after a few seconds of silence. He could feel himself blushing and thanked Agni that it was dark along the streets of Ba Sing Se. "I'm just a little overwhelmed right now, and I don't need any more complications."

"I'm a complication?" Katara's voice was quiet. Hurt.

"When you're with someone else, yes."

_Might as well be honest,_ Zuko figured.

Katara didn't reply. Zuko took to watching the people they passed. Would they turn against the Fire Nation too? He wondered if the people who were professing their undying gratitude to the Avatar and his friends extended that loyalty to the Fire Lord. He doubted it, somehow.

Either way, he wasn't sure how much longer he could stay in Ba Sing Se for. He wanted to ask Katara to accompany him back to his homeland, but he didn't want to hear the rejection he felt sure he'd receive.

"I wish we could've spent more time together," he said suddenly, as they neared the Upper Ring.

Katara looked at him sharply. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Katara, you know I'm going to have to go back to the Fire Nation sooner rather than later," Zuko answered, frowning not at her but at their whole situation.

"I-I know," Katara said, although she didn't sound sure. Then, after a moment, "I thought we'd have more time."

"So did I."

His hand accidentally brushed against hers, and the shock of it sent them both snatching their fingers away. Every touch, every shared glance, now seemed illicit.

The filled the awkward silence with even more awkward small talk until they reached the house. Then they commenced with awkward standing around.

"You can come in, if you want," Katara said, glancing back towards the front door. "I promise not to fall asleep on you this time."

Zuko smiled softly. "I'd like that. And I don't mind about the sleeping part."

Katara was about to reply when a low, loud grumbling interrupted her. The noise was so familiar that she could've placed it in her dreams, but right now she didn't know whereabouts it was coming from. Then she glanced up into the sky to see Appa about to land in the garden. With a further groan and a thump, Katara's stomach dropped. She turned to Zuko, to see him scowling at the ground and said, unnecessarily,

"Aang's back."

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hello all, sorry about the lateness. Thank you for your reviews, they're much appreciated and I'm sorry I haven't replied to them all. Trust me, they're valued.**

**There won't be a question of the chapter today, but a short, true story. There's a moral and everything.**

**I live in a small town in England, inconsequential really. We have a road that cuts through the centre of town, and all the main shops are along there. The other day was St. George's Day. For those who don't know, Saint George is the patron saint of England and legend says he killed a dragon, so all-around cool guy. A few years ago, our local Council banned everyone from putting up English flags on St. George's Day, in case it offended the ethnic minorities in our town. While the English aren't as patriotic as Americans, many people were outraged. So now, ever since the Council forbade it, the night before every St. George's Day a group of people buy literally hundreds of English flags and stick them to every lamppost along the main road. Many people join in; homeowners drape flags from the windows of their houses, shopkeepers display them in shop fronts, landlords stick them on the doors to their pubs. My friend even bought miniature flags and attached them to his car. And you know what the Council does? Nothing. Every year it carries on, and they don't put a stop to it.**

**Be proud of who you are and where you come from. If authority shouts, shout louder. Don't let anyone deny you of your roots.**

**- Momo**


	15. Maybe Worth The Pain

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

* * *

A rush of apprehension mixed with fear and excitement came over Zuko as Katara gave him an apologetic smile and went off to greet Aang. He bit the inside of his cheeks to stop from saying something.

Now that Aang was back, Katara would have to make a decision. She couldn't escape it, not with Zuko leaving soon. And while he was trying not to count his possum-chickens before they hatched, he couldn't help but think he had a more than a decent chance of being Katara's choice.

With this in mind, he followed Katara to the garden. Toph jumped from Appa's back onto the grass, grinning as she felt solid earth under her feet once more. She walked over to Zuko, who's eyes were fixed on the other couple. Aang's serious expression melted away as he saw Katara, called something and slid off Appa's side. Katara threw her arms around the Airbender, and he in turn nuzzled into her neck.

"Your heart beating itself up right about now as well?" Toph asked quietly.

"Oh yeah," Zuko answered. "At least you can't see them."

"About the only time it's come in handy being blind," Toph agreed. She was silent and still for a moment. "Where's everyone else?"

"Dinner. You hungry?"

Toph sighed. "No, but any excuse to get away from the golden couple. Even if it means eating your terrible excuse for food."

"I'm going to let that one slide."

"Because it's true?"

Zuko didn't answer. Instead, he turned away from Katara and Aang and headed into the dark house, shooting bursts of flame into the lanterns that hung every few inches on the wall. He heard Toph following him, chatting inanely about something or other. He was trying too hard to block out the image of Katara with Aang to focus on anything else. He had been so sure. So sure that, for once, luck and karma and whatever else the universe worked on was on his side.

"So you're back earlier than I thought you would be," he said to Toph once they were in the kitchen.

"Yeah, we got a message saying to come back because something was wrong with the treaty," Toph replied, hoisting herself up onto one of the counters and resting her head against a cupboard. "Aang said it was from Suki, so I'm guessing she didn't tell you she'd sent it?"

"No," Zuko said, starting with the easiest part of the meal and pouring a glass of juice out. He wasn't looking forward to revealing the cause of the summoning. "Then again, things have been…hectic today."

"One of those days, huh?" Toph asked sympathetically, narrowly avoiding knocking the glass over as she reached for it.

"Seems like it's gone on forever." He paused, remembering that there was cake somewhere. That would be a lot easier to prepare than…well, just about anything else in the kitchen, liquids excluded. He began rooting around, trying and failing to think of the logical place to hide cake from Sokka. The boy had a nose like a xirxui when it came to food.

"So, spill," Toph commanded, swinging her legs so that they banged irritatingly against the wooden bottom of the counter. "Why are we back?"

Zuko straightened up. "The Earth King has changed his mind about the treaty."

"Changed his mind…how?" Toph asked cautiously, stilling her legs in anticipation of his answer.

"He won't sign unless someone else steps in to rule the Fire Nation," Zuko answered, keeping a tight grip on his temper and trying to keep the balance in his words. "He doesn't think I'm capable of running the country I fought for. Apparently I should've sat on my throne for the past ten years, blissfully ignorant of everything."

"Does seem to be the way to run a country these days," Toph agreed darkly, her mouth a thin line of anger. "So whose butts do we have to kick for him to see sense?"

"Violence won't solve this," Zuko told her with a shake of his head. This wasn't one of those times where someone protested violence wasn't the answer when it actually was. This was one of those times when, if violence occurred, another war would break out. He knew he had to tread carefully and, as much as he didn't want to go back out to the garden, the Avatar should be involved in the plan. Once they made one, that was.

* * *

The sat in the living area a few minutes later, the cake set in front of them barely touched. Aang hadn't said a word since he'd been informed of the Earth King's change of mind and, much to Zuko's annoyance, Katara kept fussing over him.

"Aang, do you need to lie down? Did the journey-"

"Katara, leave the kid alone," Zuko cut across. His sharp tone earned him a hurt look, but he ignored it. She was, as far as he was concerned, leading them both on and he was getting sick of it.

"I think flying tired us both out," Toph said quickly, stepping into the unusual role of mediator. "We should go to bed and figure things out in the morning."

"You want to do that, Aang?" Katara asked, scanning Aang's passive face worriedly. "Will you feel better after sleeping?"

"He'll feel better after you stop fussing over him," Zuko told her.

Katara narrowed her eyes at him. "What's your problem?" she demanded.

"You _know_ what my problem is!" he answered hotly.

Katara's eyes flashed and she stood up. "Outside. Now."

"You guys aren't going to fight, are you?" Aang asked, breaking out of his trance to frown at the others. "Because I think the last thing we need are the neighbors complaining about the noise."

"We won't," Katara told him, the corners of her mouth lifting up in what was obviously meant to be a reassuring smile. Zuko wondered if he was the only one to see straight through it. She shot him a glare that would freeze an inferno and stalked outside.

"Try not to kill her, Zuko," Toph advised, before taking Aang's arm. "Come on, Twinkletoes, we should go and leave these two to it."

Zuko ignored the raised-eyebrow look that Toph was giving him and stood up, wondering what he was going to say when Katara questioned him about his hostility. He joined her in the garden, closing the door firmly behind him.

Katara looked up at the sound. "Follow me," she said shortly. She didn't wait for a response before striding off towards the end of the garden.

"Where are we going?" Zuko asked, keeping a safe distance behind her.

"For privacy."

Although Zuko's heart did an automatic leap, he knew that she didn't mean what he hoped.

"You told Aang we weren't going to fight," he said, trying not to watch her walk.

"I lied."

Zuko sighed, expecting as much. Katara disappeared behind a row of trees which, Zuko was surprised to discover, disguised a small, grassy hideaway that couldn't have been much bigger than the kitchen in the house they'd just left.

"So, go on," Katara said, her hands placed squarely on her hips. "Explain why you were acting like jerk of the year back in there. Was it because I was giving Aang attention?" When he didn't answer, she scoffed and shook her head slowly. "That's ridiculous."

"Is it?" Zuko demanded. "You keep telling me you have feelings for me, kissing me, _leading me on_ and the moment your boyfriend gets back, you're all over him. Now I can't decide if I have any right to be jealous, because I can't decide what I mean to you!"

Katara could sense the frustration that burnt into his words, because she felt the exact same thing.

"I feel like we're going around in circles," she told him, taking her hands from her waist and running them through her hair. "And I don't know what to do."

"Then I'll make it simple for you," Zuko said quietly, before turning to walk away.

Katara caught his arm, a thousand words forming themselves around her lips. What could she say? Everything she was thinking didn't seem like enough to make him stay, because in the end he was right. She was, albeit unwillingly, leading him on. And it made her feel awful.

So, without anything to say, she kissed him. And, like the last time, the kiss was free of guilt. It took Zuko a moment, but he returned the kiss with a vague sense of desperation, deepening it when he felt Katara melt into him. He refused to think that this could be the last time he felt her soft lips on his because it was looking less and less likely that she would choose him. Instead he focused on her scent and how (secretly) surprised he'd been to learn that she didn't use perfume. He grazed his hands through her hair, always so soft despite the times they barely had water to spare so she could wash it. He lowered a hand to cup her cheek and recalled how, whether she was crying, laughing or scowling, she was beautiful. Then, at last, his attention was back to her mouth. How many times had she hissed at him, screamed at him? Told him off, ridiculed him? And even now, when they were closer than ever, she still didn't say the one thing that would mean the world to him.

And that's when it struck him. He'd been an idiot not to see it before, really. Why else would he want to be with her so badly that he'd defy the Avatar? Why else was she on his mind all the time?

He drew his head back and looked at her, nervous all of a sudden.

"I love you."

The surprise that flitted through her eyes should've been the first indication that Zuko should just leave. But he ignored the signs and ploughed ahead.

"You don't have to say it back," he assured her quickly, and with every word he spoke he grew less confident that she would. "And I'm not saying it just to get one up on Aang. I do, and I don't want to leave for the Fire Nation without you."

He took her hands in his and looked intently into her eyes. Did she know how much he meant what he had just confessed? Did she care? Her expression wasn't giving much away, although if he were to describe it, he would've gone with dismay, which wasn't exactly his intention. Alright, so it wasn't his intention _at all_.

"Say something," he said quietly, his breath coming out as a half-laugh of anticipation.

Katara took her hands out of his, and with one simple movement he knew he had lost. Her gaze dropped to the grass beneath them, her head dipping. He lifted his eyes to the tree branches overhead, determined not to say or do anything to make the situation worse.

"It isn't that I…" Katara began, her voice soft but the words denying Zuko harsh, "We can't…I could never…"

She lifted her head and Zuko saw tears in her eyes. He felt a stab of annoyance; why was _she_ crying? But then came to urge to comfort her, because he was just that much of an idiot to have fallen in love.

"We're too different to be together," she said, and if Zuko had heard anything other than a rejection, he would've noticed her mechanical, stilted tone, as though she had rehearsed this speech but had hoped never to give it. "It would never work out. I have a stable future with-with Aang," she faltered and for a moment her face crumpled. Then she took a shuddering breath and composed herself as best she could. "And I know he'd never hurt me."

"_I'd_ never hurt you!" Zuko protested, his eyes widening. "How can you even…?"

"Because I've trusted you in the past and you've let me down," Katara said firmly, not looking at him. "We're not a good match. Opposites. You never see the sun and the moon in the same place at the same time," deciding not to mention eclipses because it would completely nullify the point she was trying to make, she continued in a rush, "and there's a reason for that. It isn't natural for them to be together."

Zuko, after a moment of numbness, took Katara's hand again. "What's brought this on?" he asked, trying not to shout and scream and swear as he felt like doing. "Is it because I said - what I said?"

She looked at him then, with such a terrible expression that Zuko's heart almost broke again. Her eyes travelled the length of his face, memorising it, as though this would be the last time she would see it. When her eyes met his, she blinked away tears.

"I should be with Aang," she told him. "He's been through so much, and he doesn't deserve the pain we would put him through if we…" tears spilled over onto her cheeks. "My life would be better with Aang. With you it would be painful and confusing."

"But it would never be boring," Zuko whispered, trying to fight for a heart that had never been his to win. "And I would do everything I could to try and make you happy."

"Aang makes me happy. I don't want to be with anyone else."

The words almost stuck in her throat, but she managed to say the words she knew ended everything.

After a moment in which even the birds in the trees seemed to be holding their breath, Zuko dropped Katara's hand, turned, and left without a word.

* * *

Katara greeted the next morning with a damp pillow and red eyes. She had just simplified everything, so why did she feel so terrible? She tried to be selfless, and it had only resulted in causing someone she cared about, and herself, pain. Being selfish would hurt just as many, if not more people. There didn't seem to be an option that pleased everyone.

She wiped her stinging eyes on the back of her hand, sniffing away the last of her tears and sitting up in her bed. It was almost sunrise, so Zuko would probably be awake. Was he thinking about her?

She took a sip of the stagnant water at the side of her bed, letting it refresh her. A part of her wanted to go and see Zuko and shout "just kidding!" but she had made her choice. It was better for everyone, really. Zuko had his future to sort out, not to mention an economy to stabilise. He didn't need to worry about her anymore. Besides, Aang needed looking after and she didn't want to hurt him.

The excuses that had seemed to convincing last night were beginning to seem flimsy. She shouldn't have based her happiness on the wellbeing of someone else. She had to be selfish at least one point in her life, and what if this was it?

With a sigh, she heaved herself out of bed and padded down the corridor into the living area. Toph was already sat on one of the chairs, her feet resting on the low table in front of her. She didn't look very impressed.

"Hey," Katara greeted wearily. "What are you doing up this early?"

Instead of answering, Toph stuck out one of her hands. In it was a letter.

"What-"

"Zuko left this for you," came the reply to an unspoken question. "Woke me up after you'd gone to bed. Told me to give it to you before sunrise. I was just gearing myself up to come and wake you."

Katara took the letter, nerves knotting up her stomach. Zuko didn't seem the type to send a begging letter, but would he really send an 'I never loved you anyway, you suck' letter? She doubted it, as much as she might deserve it.

"Whatever, I'm going back to bed," Toph said with a yawn. "Sounds like you really messed up, Sugar Queen."

Great, so Zuko had told Toph what Katara had said. She hadn't known they were in cahoots. Toph left the room, leaving Katara completely alone to open the letter. With shaking hands she unfurled the scarlet ribbon and smoothed out the parchment.

_Katara,_

_I hope you don't think me a coward for writing to you instead of telling you this to your face. Only I don't think I could say what I'm about to say without messing it up somehow. So here we go._

_I love you._

_It may have taken me awhile to figure it out, but it's the truth. I know it would hurt some people if they knew that, but I don't care about them. It would hurt you to see them hurt, though, and I'd rather die than hurt you._

_You told me that we can't be together because we're opposites. I don't know if you've noticed, but opposites are what keep the world in balance. Can't have light without darkness, can't have good without evil. You are everything that's good in me, Katara. When I think about all the things that I've done, I see your face and suddenly they don't matter to me anymore. You told me that the sun and the moon can never be together, but I would give up the Earth to share the sky with you. The stars and clouds around us, they're nothing. Distractions. You don't belong to a star. You belong with me._

_I'm leaving for the Fire Nation a little after sunrise this morning. Uncle and I are getting a train to the coast of the Earth Kingdom, then sailing to the Fire Nation from there. I just want you to know that the option of coming with me is more than open to you. Consider this my last-ditch attempt. I love you, and I want more than anything for you to be with me._

_- Zuko_

There were some notes at the bottom of the scroll, directions to the train station he would be waiting at. Katara read the letter again, her heart steadily beating quicker with each line.

She glanced out of the window. A minute or two to sunrise. It wouldn't take long to get to the station. She had to see him, one last time, and she'd take it from there. With barely a thought to what she was doing, she ran into her room, pulled off her nightclothes, threw on a loose dress and ran back through the living area, slamming the door behind her.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hello, hope you enjoyed the chapter. Sorry about the wait, I've slowly been going insane with the amount of revision I've been doing. Plus, prom, which apparently takes two weeks to prepare for and four days to get over. I stayed at a city hotel with my friend: got in from prom at five, got up at seven, went shopping in the city at nine. It was a good day.**

**I'll really try and update sooner, I'm on study leave at the moment so it shouldn't be that long. Thank you for your reviews, trying to get back into the habit of answering them all (:**

**Question eight: what's your favourite film?**

**Have a great rest of the week everyone!**

**-Momo**


	16. Fragile In The Cold

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

* * *

_Two Months Later_

* * *

Katara wrapped her coat closer to her body as she watched the children of the South Pole run about, their laughter and voices carrying across the play area. It was a new addition, the cordoned-off area that belonged solely to the children, added shortly after the arrival of the families of the Northern Water Tribe migrated south. Their influence had been evident; the village was slowly being expanded and built up in the hopes that one day it would rival its sister city in the North. Now houses of ice had been sculpted to replace the flimsy tents that had once stood

The Chief's family had been given the most magnificent ice house to date, which, although it came nowhere near to the delicate architecture of the Northern Water Tribe buildings, was still impressive. Besides, Katara got to share a house with her family for the first time in years and, although 'The Boyfriend' as Gran Gran insisted on calling him wasn't allowed to share a room with Katara - for obvious reasons - the whole family still saw him plenty. His official reason for spending so much time in the Southern Water Tribe was 'rebuilding relations' but no one really believed this. The only time anyone had commented on it was when Sokka had suggested under his breath that something was going on with relations, and it didn't have anything to do with rebuilding them. Katara had casually frozen his feet to the ground and left him there until he'd apologized. It was nice being back in her natural terrain again.

"Katara, watch me!" one of the children from the North, Rayuk, demanded.

Katara obliged and smiled slightly as the boy shifted into a clumsy Waterbending stance. He took a very deep breath then expelled it, pushing his hand forward as he did. The snow in front of him moved an inch and, thrilled, he turned back to Katara with a huge grin.

"Well done Rayuk," she praised, clapping along with all the other children. "A couple more years and you'll be better than me!"

Rayuk's grin widened further, and he turned back to his friends who were all chattering excitedly. The children, at least, had mixed well with each other. There had been some initial blowups between the adults of the North and South - including an amusing scene between Gran Gran and Pakku - but everyone seemed to be tolerating each other.

It was always so much more simple for children though, wasn't it? It was coming up to a year since she and Sokka had found Aang, and the beginning of saying goodbye to whatever remained of their childhood. Maybe that was why she and Aang had gotten along so well back then; they had only been children. Now that they had matured, they barely spoke anymore and each encounter was awkward.

Although she supposed she couldn't blame that solely on growing up.

* * *

_Katara was fairly certain she'd woken someone up when she'd slammed the door closed, but there was no time to go back and check. She was focused on just one thing: getting to Zuko. Everything else took a back seat._

_The carriage that usually transported the gang to where they needed to go was missing both its ostrich-horse and its driver. Not a good start. It stood in the dim sunlight, completely useless. Katara sighed in frustration; there wasn't much chance of her getting to the train station by foot. She wasn't even entirely sure she knew the way and didn't trust herself, in her state of frenzied excitement, to follow Zuko's directions properly. The letter he had written still clutched tightly in her hand, Katara felt panic swelling up inside her. She had no way of getting to the train station without someone driving her._

_She took a deep, rattling breath to try and calm herself. She was good in a crisis, she reminded herself. The level-headed one of the group. Except her 'level-headedness' was what had gotten her into this situation in the first place, so maybe it was time to ignore logic and go with instinct._

_Instinct, as it always did, led her to bending. Water was useless in this situation, so she turned to Air. She could use Appa, she supposed, but the same problem with directions arose. She couldn't ask Aang to take her to the station, she wasn't that cruel._

_So that left Earth._

_Katara smiled grimly. Toph was going to kill her for waking her up again._

* * *

After fashioning several igloos for the children to play house in, Katara sat back on a cushion of snow and sighed. Winter was drawing in already. The deadliest season made its presence known with each minute of sunlight it snatched away and each snowfall descending slightly thicker than the last.

At least her Waterbending would be stronger in case of any attacks. The Earth King had settled down slightly now that an arrangement had been made, but it was clear he still didn't trust the Fire Nation.

"Well neither does the rest of the world," Sokka had pointed out at one of their weekly meetings, "but we're not being jerks about it."

"Actually, the Earth Kingdom pretty much makes up the rest of the world when you take out the Fire Nation and Air Nomads," Katara had said with a shrug. "So, yeah, in a way they are."

They hadn't come up with a name for the meetings yet. They weren't War Meetings, because no one was at war anymore, but Peace Meetings sounded too optimistic in these fragile times. They only ever discussed one thing anyway.

* * *

"_I swear to the Spirits, Sugar Queen, if this wasn't important I would've smacked you to the train station myself for waking me up," Toph muttered as she concentrated on bending the stone wheels, guiding them through the quiet streets so that they didn't accidentally run anyone over._

"_At least I would've got there on time," Katara replied through gritted teeth. She'd been reading out the directions for the past five minutes and was conscious of the time. "Can you not go any faster?"_

"_This is the first time I've done this! I don't want to lose control and drive into someone's house!"_

_Katara took a deep breath. "You're right. I'm sorry." Then, "But seriously, if you just-"_

_Toph jolted the carriage fiercely so that Katara had to cling on to stop herself from falling out._

* * *

Katara sat and watched the children play until they were called in by their mothers for dinner. Each child parted ways, promising their friends that they'd play out again tomorrow. They called out their goodbyes to Katara, who waved back until they began their descent down a snowy hill and out of sight.

She supposed she should be going back as well. Back to the same house to the same people and eating the same food at the same time. She missed travelling, and it was sometimes difficult to remember that there was a whole world outside the four walls of ice she called home.

"Sis?"

Katara looked up at the sound of Sokka's voice. He struggled over the hill and walked quickly towards her, clutching a roll of parchment in his gloved hand.

"Message," he said, lifting the parchment up, and dropping it into his sister's lap when he reached her. "We got an official letter as well, but I thought you might like to see the more personal one."

Katara nodded her gratitude and unrolled the note. It was short, only a few lines, but still quite formal for a supposed personal message.

_Sokka,_

_I'll be coming to the South Pole for a couple of weeks. I set off shortly, and expect to see you soon. Hope all is well._

Katara ignored the sadness that burned inside that the note was addressed to her brother, and made no mention of her at all. She shouldn't have expected it to. It was unreasonable to expect everyone to carry on as normal, and that included being friendly in a letter.

But still.

* * *

_Katara couldn't remember ever feeling so impatient. Her fingers tapped against her knees agitatedly and she had to press her lips together to stop herself from asking if Toph could hurry up. The Earthbender was already annoyed, and after all she was doing Katara a really big favor._

_But if she could only do it _faster_, that'd be great._

"_So what's the plan of action when you get there?" Toph asked, swerving so violently that Katara began to question her decision to let Toph drive. Yes, she was the only one who could control the stone wheels, but she was still blind. They hadn't run anyone over yet though, so Katara supposed Toph was sussing the location of people to avoid by their heartbeats or their footsteps. Or maybe she was just counting on them to dive screaming out of their way._

"_I hijacked a carriage and asked _you_ to drive it, do you really think I have a plan?" _

_But, as much as she didn't want to believe it, Toph had a point. What was she going to say? 'Hi, I got your note' didn't really seem appropriate. She could just kiss him again, she supposed, it'd be difficult for her to say anything when her mouth was preoccupied. But she'd have to say something eventually. _

_She sighed. "The things he said in the letter were just…romantic, I guess you'd say. Truthful. And I can't think of anything to say back that won't make me sound like an idiot."_

_Toph nodded sagely. "You do sound like an idiot sometimes."_

_The votes of confidence just kept getting more and more assuring. _

"_We should be there soon," Katara said, scanning the directions for what felt like the hundredth time. "If you just take a right - no, a right. Toph, that's left!"_

"_Alright!" Toph snapped back at the shrieking girl. She jerked the carriage around roughly and took the correct turn, not without uttering a swearword that made Katara silently resolve to keep the younger girl away from Sokka._

"_Do I need to tell you to-"_

"_Tell me to hurry up one more time, Sweetness, and it's the last thing you'll ever say."_

_Katara nodded and fell silent. She was being annoying, she knew that. But this was important, one of those all-or-nothing things like in the stories she vaguely remembered her mother telling her when she was small. And they always ended happily._

_The train station rose up before them, the tracks stretching to all over Ba Sing Se. She remembered briefly what it had been like to arrive in Ba Sing Se for the first time, so long ago now it seemed. Now she was about to leave forever. A sudden fear gripped her._

"_Toph, I'm doing the right thing, aren't I?" she asked, eyes fixed on the steps leading up to the station. It was only early, but people were bustling up and down them already. "I mean, what am I doing? I haven't packed anything to bring with me, I haven't said goodbye to Sokka and what am I meant to say to Aang when he realizes I've gone off with his friend?"_

_Toph sighed heavily, and rather than the sarcastic comment she was expecting from her friend, Katara heard this instead,_

"_Is this one of those times where you try and make up all these excuses to stop you doing something you actually want to do?"_

_Katara was confused. "I don't-"_

"_Sure you do." Toph punched her friend on the arm in an awkward display of affection. "You deserve to be happy. So go be happy."_

_Katara glanced sideways at her friend, debating silently. She wanted desperately to go and it should be as simple as that. No external factors, no logic or negative emotions. There should only be what she felt for Zuko: affection and attraction and sometimes exasperation, but that was okay because she…she wanted to be there for all of the stupid things he said and the moments of tenderness that surprised everyone else but not her and - and…her thoughts were almost tripping up over each other in their race._

_She wrapped Toph into a crushing side-hug, took a deep breath and jumped down from the carriage. Happiness and adrenaline replaced all the fear and doubt in her mind._

"_Toph…thank you," she said, speaking the most sincere words she could think of. "I'll see you soon and I-I'll write once I'm there and-" she broke off with a grin. "Bye!"_

This is insane_, Katara decided as she dodged in and out of the people descending the steps. _I've lost my mind.

* * *

Sokka had left awhile ago and Katara was still holding the letter tightly, trying to read something between the lines that suggested the writer still cared about her. But there was literally nothing. She threw it away bitterly into the snow, wishing she had Zuko's Firebending abilities. She'd have burned the letter up in less that a second, erasing any evidence that she was out of favor with its writer.

It was almost dark by the time a solitary figure made its way over the hill, carrying a blazing lantern. Katara watched with a heart like lead as Aang ploughed through the snow to reach her, before sitting down next to her. He kissed her cheek, although now it was more done automatically than out of any sense of affection.

"Did you get Zuko's note?" he asked, sticking the lantern into the snow in the space between them.

Katara nodded and lifted the note, already slightly soggy from the snow, to show Aang.

"It'll be nice to see him again," he said, watching Katara carefully. "We've not seen him in, what-?"

"Two months."

"Two months, right."

Aang scanned the face of the girl he still loved as they sat there silently in the snow. Something about her had changed, and although he had a pretty good idea what it was, he didn't want to admit it to himself. Her tanned face was half-illuminated by the light from the lantern, shining on the deep sadness in her eyes. She wasn't happy anymore, and the one thing that would make her happy meant that Aang would lose her forever.

"We could go penguin sledding tomorrow, if you want," he offered with a weak smile.

"Don't you think we're a little old for that?" Katara answered, unsmiling and staring straight ahead.

"Yeah, you're right."

An awful sense of hopelessness and desperation spread through Aang. His relationship was crumbling right before his eyes and there was nothing he could do to save it. He had tried everything he could think of, from romantic surprises to public declarations of love. At first Katara pretended to be grateful, but now she didn't even acknowledge his effort.

"We should go back, it's cold," he said, getting to his feet and offering Katara his hand.

"It's always cold, it's the South Pole," she answered dully. "I'll be with you in awhile."

Aang's sigh misted on the air then vanished. "Okay."

"Don't forget your lantern."

"It's okay, I can Firebend up some light," he assured her, silently debating whether or not to kiss her again. He decided against it and turned to walk away. "I'll see you later, Katara."

"Bye Aang," Katara answered softly, watching him go.

She still cared for him, of course she did. But she didn't have the energy to pretend that she was anything other than miserable. And although she looked forward to Zuko's visit with equal excitement and trepidation, she knew that it would change things. It would either give her the courage to walk away forever, or the confirmation that staying in the South Pole was the right thing to do.

* * *

_Katara reached the top of the train station steps breathless. Partly through excitement and partly because there were a damn lot of steps. She ran in past the emerald colored pillars and avoided the people milling around. She ran straight to the front desk, past a queue of people who all complained as they cut in front of her._

"_Sorry," she shouted back to them, before leaning on the desk and looking at the unimpressed man behind it._

"_Miss, there's actually a line-"_

"_My name is Katara, I'm the Avatar's Waterbending teacher," Katara interrupted. As her name struck a chord, the man nodded and a newly respectful expression appeared on his face. "This is an emergency. There's a train due to leave any minute now with the Fire Lord as a passenger. I need passage onto that train."_

_The man pressed his lips together in an apologetic gesture._

"_I'm afraid that won't be possible-"_

"_I don't have the money for a ticket with me now," Katara cut him off, her heart pounding. Not possible? This was an emergency! Probably not the kind the man behind the desk thought it was, but an emergency nonetheless! "But if you go and see Toph Bei Fong she'll give you the right amount later, I promise you!" She glanced behind the desk to where uniformed men and women were checking tickets. "In fact, I don't even need a ticket, I just need to speak to the Fire Lord!"_

"_I'm afraid that won't be possible," the man repeated, "because the train you're referring to has already left."_

_Katara stared at the man, a frown slowly forming. Her mouth formed words that went unspoken as she tried to understand what she'd just been told._

"_But it…it's just gone sunrise," she whispered, checking behind her for confirmation. Sure enough, through the pillars she could see sun streaming into the station. She turned back to the man again, silently demanding an explanation._

"_There was a problem with the tracks near the Middle Ring last night," the man told her, his eyes darting nervously behind Katara. He'd heard tales of the Waterbender's temper, and it wasn't something he wanted to face this early in the morning. Or at all, if he could help it. "It caused a temporary backlog of trains and we had to make sure that _our_ tracks were clear so that when the Middle Ring tracks were back up and running, the delayed trains could get to their destinations without stopping off here."_

_His explanation seemed both rehearsed and rushed, as though he knew the reason behind the trains being sent off early but had to get it out all in one breath._

"_So the trains departed earlier than scheduled," he finished off limply._

_Katara searched his face, hoping that, for some reason, he was lying to her. When she saw nothing but sympathy and a little fear, she deflated._

"_And there's no way you can stop the train?" she asked quietly, although she already knew the answer._

"_No, Miss, sorry," the man replied, shattering the one hope she had left._

_Katara turned and began to walk away on shaky legs. Zuko hadn't waited for her. He was the Fire Lord, he could've easily demanded that the train be delayed for a few more minutes. But he hadn't, because he hadn't had any faith in her._

"_We can arrange for a messenger hawk to be sent," the man at the desk called after Katara's retreating figure._

_Katara shook her head, tears sliding down her cheeks. She shouldn't have come here. It was too selfish of her. She should've just ignored Zuko's letter, not got her hopes up, and stayed in bed this morning._

"_It just wasn't meant to be," she whispered, half in reply to the man and half in empty assurance to herself._

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hello all, hope you enjoyed this latest chapter and don't have the overpowering urge to kill me for the way it ended.**

**Thank you so much for your reviews, they helped me through the exam period. Stressful times. Did you know that the history of Mexican cinema is linked to Mexican politics? No? Neither did I, I realised with horror after an impromptu revision session on Facebook chat the night before my Film Studies exam. I'm not sure it mattered if I knew it or not, to be honest. How well I did in my exam was indicated pretty early on when I cited one of my sources as "Ignacio (Something Mexican)." Still, I'm holding out hope until results day, and that's a blissful month and a half away.**

**So I hear that "The Last Airbender" is out in America and I hope those of you who go to see it enjoy it. It's not out in the UK for another month and a bit, so I'd appreciate it if you don't discuss the film in any reviews you're kind enough to give (:**

**- Momo**


	17. Interlude

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

* * *

Zuko watched the sun set on another empty day from the window of the Fire Lord's study. He was uncomfortable claiming the study for himself. There were too many remnants of his father's presence in the stone circular room, too many warnings of what he could become if he strayed from the path. In the two months he'd been back at the Fire Nation palace, he had only been in here a handful of times. His uncle must have ordered servants to clear the room of Ozai's personal effects but the servants hadn't removed the furniture and, when Zuko sat at the heavy wooden desk and chair for the first time, he searched through the drawers without guilt. There was an ornate letter opener that he was reluctant to touch, a handful of ribbons to secure rolled parchment, some thin writing brushes, bottles of half-empty ink and, most interestingly, a small golden key.

It took Zuko a moment to figure out what the key was for. Obviously something Ozai hadn't wanted anyone to see, as the only person who would be going through that drawer would be himself. Intrigued, Zuko walked around the study, glossing over the shelves of books on military tactics and the overall greatness of previous Fire Lords and focusing instead on the paintings that adorned the wall. From the stories his mother had told him when he was little, Zuko learnt that villains often kept locked compartments behind paintings for their most valuable possessions. And his father was nothing if not a villain.

But the only thing behind the paintings was more wall. _Trust Ozai to be difficult_, Zuko thought, annoyed. He searched the study for anything else that could be locked and found nothing of interest.

Frustrated, Zuko stormed back to the desk and kicked it so that the contents of the drawer the key had been in rattled about. This brief outburst of his otherwise forcefully restrained anger felt good, and he found himself kicking the desk again and again until eventually one of two lamps fell off and onto the floor. The glass surrounding the wick shattered on impact, and Zuko stared at it for a minute before cursing under his breath. The lamp had recently been lit, and now hot wax spread onto the red and black rug underneath the desk. Zuko was careful not to touch it as he gathered up the shards of glass. As he picked up the last remaining shards his hand brushed against the bottom of the desk. Instead of the smooth wood and rug fibres he had been expecting, something cold and hard met his fingers. Frowning, he leant in for a closer look. It was a lock.

It was a smart place to put a compartment, Zuko decided as he twisted the small key into the lock. It was almost hidden by the shaggy rug and dull enough to blend in comfortably with the desk. There was a clicking sound as the key unlocked the mechanism, and Zuko pulled it out gently, keeping it twisted so that a long tray emerged from the wood. Half the width of the desk and a quarter of its length, the tray flattened the rug down.

Zuko didn't know what he'd been expecting. War plans, perhaps, or the names of traitors. But instead there were small paintings, some professionally done, some done by a child. With a shaking hand, Zuko carefully emptied the tray of its contents. Along with the paintings were small toys and pieces of clothing, plus a few seemingly random items such as a bunch of dried flowers and a hair grip.

The pieces of parchment the amateur paintings had been created on were yellowing with age and Zuko picked them up gingerly. At first he didn't understand what he was seeing, then he noticed a careful print at the bottom of the parchment: _Zuko, age five._ In a decidedly less careful print were the words _My Family_ underneath what could only be described as multicolored blobs of paint. On closer inspection, the blobs had clumsily drawn features. The tallest blob had a huge crown sticking out of a black ponytail that ran half the length of his body. The next tallest had a red triangle for a body and even more hair, while the two children were little more than a series of lines that suggested arms and legs.

The smile twitching at Zuko's lips was beaten down by an angry curiosity. Why had his father kept things like this? A drawing done by Azula at the same age was present, and Zuko felt a small sense of satisfaction that his, while certainly no masterpiece, was at least better than his sister's.

One of the few toys that Azula hadn't completely destroyed now lay on the rug, as did a small wooden soldier that Zuko vaguely remembered attacking Azula's dolls with. Two pairs of baby socks, unbelievably tiny, accompanied small portraits of the babies they belonged to: Zuko and his sister. A replica of the family portrait at Ember Island was fixed into a bamboo frame, was next to be looked at, along with a picture of his mother and father presumably just after they got married.

The hair grip Zuko recognised as belonging to his mother, and the flowers he remembered as being ones she requested be freshly placed in a vase in her bedroom each morning. He picked up the hair grip and squeezed it into his palm, ignoring the sharp points of the comb digging into his skin. He didn't understand. He didn't understand why his father had mementoes of the child he hated, of the wife he had banished, of the life they had all had together before things fell spectacularly apart. He couldn't have forgotten about the tray if the key to it was in a drawer at a desk he sat at every day.

Putting the hair grip to one side, Zuko picked up the rest of the things and dumped them into the tray. They had no business being seen by anyone else. He slammed the tray back into the desk, locked it tightly and slid the key into his pocket.

That had been a month and a half ago, and he hadn't opened the tray since. He hadn't had much cause to go in the study at all, in fact. When he wasn't locked in meetings or negotiations with the Earth King's representatives, he was training or receiving lessons on proper Fire Lord conduction. It had been pointed out to him by Li and Lo (who Iroh had wished to keep around, for reasons Zuko didn't want to look too deeply into) that there were gaps in his knowledge, through no fault of his own. They were surprisingly tactful about it. In fact, when a topic came up surrounding a subject that had happened during Zuko's banishment, all the Council members came up with increasingly more ridiculous euphemisms. 'The Fire Lord's Vacation' had been used a few times, as though Zuko had just been sunbathing on Ember Island for three and a half years. The only one that had angered Zuko was 'The Fire Lord's Reflection Period.' It made him sound like a naughty child sent away to think about what they've done. That may be how the Fire Nation viewed him, but he found it insulting and demeaning.

Iroh had been quietly preparing the Fire Nation's defenses just in case the Earth King decided to invade. Zuko doubted that he would; if he said so himself, he'd been doing a good job as Fire Lord. Probably because he didn't have anything to distract him from his work. In a roundabout way, it was a good thing that Katara hadn't joined him.

Which was, of course, a lie. But it was something he had to tell himself with a detached practicality, or risk dwelling on what had happened. And when he dwelled, he couldn't rule, and when he couldn't rule, the Earth King would stride on in and demand the Fire Nation get another ruler.

"You're not eating," Iroh said quietly at dinner one night.

"I'm not hungry," came Zuko's answer.

Iroh sighed and continued with his meal. His nephew hadn't eaten much at all in the past few weeks, barely enough to keep his strength up, but it was useless trying to coax him into it.

"How was your day?" he tried again.

"You know how it was, you were there with me."

This was how their conversation had been going recently. When Zuko wasn't wrapped up in politics or training, he was thinking about Katara. Iroh didn't know the exact details of what had happened, and Zuko had only told him the barest minimum, but whatever it was had cut the Fire Lord very deeply. It was almost as bad as the first few months at sea after his banishment.

"Zuko, I know how you-"

"No, you don't." Rather than anger, the young man's voice was coldly quiet. He drained a glass of water and stood up, bowing to his uncle without meeting his eyes. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

Iroh waited until his nephew was at the door before speaking again.

"Get a good night's rest. We leave for the Water Tribe tomorrow."

It took a moment for Zuko to process this, and when he did his shoulders tensed. Iroh waited for the outburst that was the reason behind not informing Zuko about the trip until the last minute.

"Northern or Southern?" Zuko asked, teeth gritted.

"Southern."

"_What?_" Zuko turned around furiously. "Why didn't you tell me about this? No. No, we're not going! We've not given any warning, any…anything!" He threw his arms out sideways in an exaggerated shrug. "Why am I finding out about this now?"

Iroh sipped his wine. "Your outburst should be an indication." He set down his glass and sighed, watching his nephew with tired eyes. "You are not a child anymore, Zuko. We have to visit the Water Tribe sooner or later on an official basis to show that we are sincere about wishing to rebuild relationships." As Zuko's eyes dropped, Iroh inwardly winced. Probably should've phrased that better. "Anyway, I sent a letter to Chief Hakoda when we first got back to the Fire Nation, asking if it was alright if we dropped in."

"'Dropped in'?" Zuko repeated incredulously. "Uncle, it's in the middle of _literally _nowhere. You make it sound like we're visiting one of your friends for an afternoon of Pai Sho."

"I may indulge in a game once we're there," Iroh mused, to which point Zuko stormed out, exasperated, angry and more than a little worried. "We leave at sunrise!" Iroh called after the Fire Lord.

* * *

A week and a half later, the great ice caps of the South Pole came floating into view. Zuko glowered at them as they passed lazily by in the weak sunlight. It had not been a fun few days. He'd woken up a few hours before sunrise on the morning they'd departed - although 'woken up' wasn't really accurate when all he'd managed was a fitful nap - and written two hasty letters, both to the South Pole. One formal, one less so, but both with one purpose: to let Katara know that he was coming. News had trickled through the grapevine that the Avatar spent most of his time in the Southern Water Tribe, and Zuko hoped that Katara had the decency to leave, and to take her boyfriend with her, by the time the Fire Lord arrived. He was in no mood to see either of them. His feelings for Katara hadn't changed, but they'd been joined by something darker: disappointment, resentment, even hatred. Because no one had ever made him feel as weak as she had made him feel. Before he went to sleep, he questioned everything about himself that could've made Katara reject him the way she had, without even a letter of apology that he could've ripped up. His deep-rooted feeling of inadequacy resurfaced every moment he thought about her and it made him more and more angry. A little angry at Katara, but more angry at himself, because he'd done _something _to mess their relationship up and he had no idea what. He hadn't pushed her into anything. The times they'd kissed, she'd kissed him, not the other way around. He'd issued an ultimatum, yes, but it was because something more important than themselves had come up.

He'd have asked his uncle for advice, but he knew the response would be something along the lines of 'stop with the self-pity.' Maybe that was why he hadn't asked; if he didn't have someone to blame for the decayed relationship then he didn't have anyone to feel angry at.

"Looks much like the last time we were here, doesn't it?" Iroh asked, walking up to stand beside his nephew. The older man hugged his thick coat tightly to himself.

"It's blocks of ice. They're not known for radical change." Zuko flicked his gaze towards his uncle. "Are you warm enough?"

Iroh nodded. "One of the many advantages of being a Firebender: control over internal body temperature."

"Still, you should wear a scarf or something." A shadow of distaste passed over the young Fire Lord's face. "I know Li knitted you one for your birthday."

"Actually, that was Lo," Iroh admitted sheepishly. "Li knitted me a hat."

"Right."

Zuko watched his breath mist in front of him as they stood in silence. It wouldn't be long now until they reached…he was going to say civilization, but that was a very generous description of the handful of tents and a poorly made watchtower that constituted the Southern Water Tribe.

"We'll arrive soon," Iroh said, as though reading his nephew's mind. "Let's get out of this cold."

Zuko followed his uncle into the comparatively warmer ship, reciting in his mind the things he would say to the people of the Water Tribe, to his friends, and to Katara, just in case she was there.

* * *

Chief Hakoda had received a messenger hawk an hour ago, telling him that the Fire Nation royals were almost at the Southern Water Tribe. He had assembled his children, his mother and stepfather, and other important people in the Water Tribe. He wasn't entirely sure of their jobs; it had taken him awhile to adjust back to being an active Chief in charge of his people as opposed to leading his men into battles. He had forgotten about the petty disputes the Water Tribe people could get involved in, and in the first few weeks of being back home he thought that if he had to settle one more argument about who ate the last piece of blubbered seal jerky at the feast, he'd throw himself onto an iceberg and let it sail away

Then his children had come home from their own battles, and suddenly all the arguing in the world couldn't dampen his spirits. Hakoda had visions of his little girl and little boy - who, it still surprised him to realise, weren't so little anymore - running around and squabbling and playing. He was a little disappointed, therefore, when Sokka spent all of his time showing off to his girlfriend and Katara shut herself away in her new bedroom. Once Suki had gone back to Kyoshi Island, Sokka's attentions turned to trying to cheer his little sister up. When that failed, the warrior instead took it upon himself to train the next generation in combat.

As the days passed, Katara's mood lightened. She would watch her brother's attempts at training the uninterested youngsters, talking him (talking, threatening, it was the same thing) into training the girls as well as the boys. Eventually the children lost interest altogether and, without anything to focus on, Katara slowly withdrew into herself again.

Worried, Hakoda had asked his mother for her advice. Kanna had informed her son that Katara was going through a transition period and needed time to adjust. Hakoda hadn't known what this meant and, after a quiet discussion with the equally bewildered Sokka and Bato, decided that it must just be a girl thing. It was times like this that he missed Kya more than ever, and many nights he would stare up at the cloudless sky and wondering if she was looking back.

It wasn't that Hakoda didn't approve of Aang, or Suki for that matter. But he would've liked a second opinion from his wife, maybe a small smile or a firm shake of the head. He would've liked some help when Aang decided to make the Southern Water Tribe his home, and when this seemed to put Katara in a darker mood than ever.

He would've liked reassurance while lining up his family and friends on the icy shore to greet the Fire Lord and his uncle and, by the way Katara kept nervously glancing out to the ocean, she would've liked that too. She alternated between running agitated hands over her dress (flown in by Aang from the Fire Nation, especially for the occasion) and clinging her palms together tightly. Another girl thing, Hakoda assumed, and didn't comment on it.

"What's taking them so long?" Sokka asked, the latest in his line of loud complaints. He was wearing a ceremonial robe that, as Katara pointed out, looked unfortunately like a dress, and it made him more irritable than he otherwise would have been. "Big old important Fire Nation, don't have to be on time for anyone!"

"They're probably taking their time steering around the icebergs," Katara said quietly, wringing her gloved hands. "Better late than-"

"Never, I know," Sokka finished flatly.

"Actually, I was going to say sliced into tiny pieces. But that works too."

As the conversation continued, Katara stared at the snow beneath her. Her head was telling her to run away as fast as she could, her heart was beating in anticipation, and her stomach churned warningly. She hadn't been able to face breakfast that morning and now nothing around her felt quite right. The sharp sunlight was blinding as it reflected off the ice, yet the air around her settled coldly in defiance. It was like her surroundings were at war with themselves, and it did nothing to settle her worries over seeing Zuko again.

Did he hate her for not joining him? Would he treat her indifferently? She didn't deserve the answer to either of those questions to be 'no' but she didn't want to think about what she would do if the answer was anything else. And with Aang still not back from his latest trip to the Earth Kingdom, it felt like her support system, however unwanted, had vanished.

"You okay, sis?" Sokka asked quietly, slanting his neck so that he was talking directly into Katara's ear.

Katara let out a shaky breath she didn't know she'd been holding. "Yeah. Hungry."

"Me too," Sokka groaned. "Zuko better hurry his butt up, otherwise we're going to have an international crisis."

While Katara didn't doubt her brother's ability to create an international crisis over something as trivial as food, she was at least consoled by the fact that if her treatment of Zuko hadn't created an international crisis, nothing would. She just hoped it wasn't too late to make things right with him.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hello everyone, hope you enjoyed. Not a fan of this chapter, more filler than anything, but without filler we can't move on, so hey. More will be explained in the next chapter, promise.**

**Thank you for your reviews, they're very much appreciated and I'm glad to see that people are enjoying (:**

**Question nine was inspired by me walking home in the sodding rain today, after discovering too late that my umbrella was broke: what Nation do you figure gets the most rainfall, and why? And no, "Water Tribe, because they have Water in their name" isn't acceptable (:**

**Oh, also, thoughts on Toy Story 3?**

**Have a great week everyone,**

**- Momo**


	18. Justify The Malice

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

* * *

"I understand why you'd be nervous," Iroh told his nephew softly as they sailed the last few hundred feet to where the Southern Water Tribe members waited.

"I'm not nervous," Zuko lied, eyes fixed on the shore. "I'm cold."

"My mistake," Iroh said, raising his eyebrows in a disbelief that he made sure to keep hidden. "Once we're settled in, I'm sure Chief Hakoda will give us something to combat the chill. Strange, though," he added with a sly look sideways, "that a Firebender would need added protection from low temperature. You would've thought we could warm ourselves up internally, or-"

"Fine, I'm nervous," Zuko interrupted, scowling. His uncle had pointed out the internal temperature control advantage not one hour ago, so for Zuko to say he was cold had been foolish. "Happy?"

"You need to face up to your fears, Zuko." Iroh's voice became softer. "You've done it before when you stood up to your father and spoke your mind. I'm confident you can do it again."

"That was different."

He wasn't sure exactly what had changed to make him more afraid of seeing Katara than he had been of calling out his father. All he knew was, at that moment, he didn't feel like the hero his nation hailed him to be.

* * *

Katara watched as the imposing Fire Nation ship - complete with the decorated tiers of metal that symbolised royalty - came to a slow halt a few feet away from the shore. With the hissing noise that had first introduced Zuko to her, the ship opened up to form a ramp that settled comfortably onto the snow. For a moment, there was no one. Then, no less than four pairs of guards marched down the ramp in unison, their faces hidden by a generic skull mask.

"Wow, Zuko's gotten paranoid," Sokka muttered to his sister, who forced a smile through her pained anticipation.

The guards were donned in the heavy armor that Katara thought would've been shed now that the war was over, the footsteps their thick boots produced falling silent once they reached the snow. Wordlessly they stepped into a diagonal formation in front of Hakoda and bowed to him.

As the Water Tribe representatives, inclined their heads to the guards, Katara couldn't stop her eyes from darting to the ship every few moments, certain that for some reason Zuko had changed his mind and decided not to come. Crushing disappointment and giddy relief battled inside her, fading only when the unmistakable figure of the Fire Lord appeared at the top of the ramp. The new emotion was a strong one, she didn't deny that. But what it _was_, she didn't know. She recognised affection and annoyance and frustration and remorse, so familiar to her by now that she almost welcomed them. Entangled with them was both the urge to hide and the desire to wave her arms so that she would be the first one Zuko noticed.

But the young man kept his eyes forward as he descended into the snow, Iroh walking a few paces behind him out of respect for his position. From the vague irritation on Zuko's face, Katara guessed that it hadn't been his idea. As he walked nearer, the guards stepped aside so that they still held their formation, but there was room enough for the Fire Lord to stand in between them.

Zuko bowed to the Chief, not as low as his guards had, but respectfully nonetheless. Katara kept her eyes on him, following every twitch his body made, making a note of every hair that escaped from the tight topknot it had been tied into. It looked as though the two months they had been apart hadn't been kind to him either; Zuko's golden eyes were half-glazed with a weariness that had nothing to do with lack of sleep, his movements stiff and almost mechanical.

"Thank you for allowing me to your kingdom, Chief Hakoda" he said, and his low voice made Katara close her eyes for a moment. She'd missed it. She'd missed him. "The Fire Nation are grateful for your hospitality."

"Fire Lord Zuko," Hakoda acknowledged, mirroring the bow. "I hope your journey was uneventful."

"It was."

There was a hint of annoyance in Zuko's voice, and through her mixed emotions Katara bit back a smile. For someone like Zuko, an uneventful journey was torture.

Hakoda nodded, his expression polite. Katara guessed that her father didn't quite know what to make of Fire Lord Ozai's only son now that he had ascended to the throne. Power changed people, after all. The Chief indicated his elderly mother and the others who stood to his left.

"Kanna, my mother. Bato, my friend and advisor. Pakku, my-" here, Hakoda paused and shaped his mouth awkwardly, forming the unfamiliar word, "father."

Zuko acknowledged each person as they were introduced, although of course he had met Pakku before. He gave the old master a small smile of recognition, which was returned and accompanied with a nod.

"And I believe," Hakoda continued, his eyes glinting with vague amusement, "that you're somewhat acquainted with my children."

_Acquainted._ _That's certainly one word for it,_ Zuko thought. He was glad that Sokka was the one stood next to his father; it gave him more time to stall, to try and figure out what to say to Katara. He had determinedly not sought her out when he stepped off the ship, fighting against the instinct he usually lived by. But now he could see her in the peripheral vision of his good eye, her eyes trained on the ground at her feet. To anyone else she looked like a meek, subservient daughter. But Zuko knew that she, just like him, was trying to delay the inevitable.

"Sokka," he said, turning his attention back to the present. He clapped a hand on the warrior's shoulder. "It's good to see you."

"You too, man," Sokka answered, grinning. "Suki would've been here but…" he rolled his eyes. "I don't know, girl stuff. Something to do with stopping Ty Lee from training the Unagi to do circus tricks. Apparently it's 'degrading.'"

Zuko would've been amused at Sokka's use of air quotes if he wasn't so focused on what was about to happen. For a wild moment he wondered if he could just walk away, pretend he hadn't noticed Katara. As if he could ever not notice her. Instead, he decided to just get it over and done with. He stepped sideways - despite strenuous protest from his legs - and with a deep breath looked up.

"Katara."

Her eyes, bright with uncertainty, captivated him, like a man who had lived in darkness for years rediscovering the moon. Her lips were slightly parted as though whatever she had been about to say had died in her throat. But he tried not to focus too much on her lips, remembering before he could stop himself their sweet taste and their softness when they were pressed gently against his own. His eyes travelled the length of her face and back to her gaze.

"Hello, Zuko."

He found himself deflating at the sound of her voice. He had imagined countless times seeing her again, and in each of the instances he had been distant and cool. The determination to show her that she hadn't hurt him was still there, but now Zuko knew for certain that there was no way he could be suave around her. He could barely remember his own name right now.

He was conscious of every breath of air between them; what looked like only a few steps apart to the others felt like a yawning chasm to him. He wanted her in his arms again. It was the only thought in his mind.

"You look well."

She attempted a smile as she lied through her teeth. He didn't look well, not in the least. He looked the way she felt: tired, confused and, if she concentrated, a little wistful.

"Thank you. So do you."

This forced small-talk was killing him. They hid behind their polite words until at last Zuko gave up. Tearing himself away, he rejoined Hakoda and allowed himself to be led on a tour of the South Pole, from which Katara was mysteriously absent.

* * *

"So, what do you think of the new and improved Southern Water Tribe?" Sokka asked later that night as they sat idly around in the Chief's home - little more than a glorified igloo, although of course Zuko knew better than to say anything out loud.

"It's nice," Zuko answered, running his fingers absently through the fur of whatever unfortunate animal had been killed and skinned to make the comfortable rug he reclined on. "Different."

"You mean from when you came sailing in on your big old ship and destroyed half the town?" Sokka raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, I wouldn't go around reminding people of that if I were you."

Zuko snorted softly. "I didn't destroy half the town."

"You forget," Kanna said from the rug next to the one Sokka and Zuko shared, "that was back when the South consisted of a handful of tents and three igloos. And a watchtower," she added, smiling at her grandson.

"A badly made watchtower," Zuko muttered. "Crumbled like it was made of sand."

As Sokka embarked on a passionate defense of his watchtower, Zuko tuned out. It was surprisingly snug in the main room, with the walls draped in more animal furs and ornamental weapons. Rugs had been arranged around a small fire, where people swapped gossip and ate their fill of seal and penguin meat. A sea of thick fur coats (dyed blue, naturally) and brunette hair huddled together to stay warm, but Zuko didn't pay close attention to any of them. Katara wasn't here, he'd seen as much almost the moment he'd walked through the door. Exactly where she was he didn't know, and he hadn't asked. After the initial meeting had thrown him so far off-balance, he had resolved to stay as stoic as possible from now on. He had, however, noticed that others were absent and didn't see the harm in enquiring after them.

"Toph's back home with her parents," Sokka replied through a mouthful of food. "Aang went to go get her so we can all see each other again. He should've been back by now." He didn't sound too concerned. "But it'll be nice to have everyone together."

"Yeah," Zuko agreed, trying to keep the bitterness from his voice. "Nice."

* * *

Katara sat, alone, in the town meeting hall. The second largest ice building in the town after her own house, it was home only to a long table carved from ice and thirteen thick wooden seats. Her hands rested on the table, the thin blue cloth draped over it doing little against the chill. Not that it bothered her. In fact, she barely felt it. She was too busy trying to work up the courage to go back home and face Zuko. She had left more or less straight after their reintroduction and hadn't seen him since.

In some ways, seeing him again had been worse than she'd imagined. Nothing could've prepared her for it. Because she realised, with just one glance, that he still felt something for her, something that wasn't anger or resentment. There was something soft in those beautiful eyes of his that assured her that, every moment she sat alone missing him, he was thinking about her. And that had made it far more difficult to remind herself that she wasn't supposed to feel anything for him anymore.

Moonlight filtered in through the windows, shining on her fingers.

"What would you do, Yue?" Katara asked quietly. She wasn't expecting an answer, which was fortunate because one never came. "Guess the moon isn't very talkative tonight, huh?"

She pushed herself up and, with a new resolve, made her way towards her igloo. Yue had been a true daughter of the Water Tribe, her bravery giving Katara strength. If Yue could sacrifice herself for the good of her Nation, Katara could certainly go and talk to a boy.

Light and warmth spilled from the igloo's windows as she crossed the snow. In a few weeks the snow would be up to her ankles and it'd be an effort to walk anywhere without having to bend a clear path. At the moment, all she had to do was tread the path the others had walked that led straight to her door. Most of the town had turned out for the celebration and, in a rare moment of being a typical teenager, Katara hoped the guests were staying out of her bedroom.

She stood for a few moments in the dark, looking up at her house, before gathering the nerve to enter. Warmth rushed to meet her, mingling in with the greetings and welcoming smiles the townspeople gave her. She had barely taken five steps when someone pushed a cup into her hand. She accepted it without thinking, her eyes fixed firmly on her destination. She skirted around the groups clustered around the fire and came to an awkward halt at the side of the rug Sokka and Zuko sat on.

"Hey, guys," she said, announcing her arrival with a small wave. Her voice had already taken on a forced cheerful tone, but accompanied with the wave it made it obvious that she was uncomfortable. She gestured down at the rug. "Can I…?"

"Yeah, sure," Sokka said, moving to get up. "You can have my seat, I have to go and greet people. Gran Gran's idea," he added in a mutinous whisper. "Be careful she doesn't get you too."

"I'll try," Katara answered, her voice coming out quite a bit more strained than she'd intended; Zuko hadn't turned around to look at her, or acknowledged her presence in anyway. It wasn't a good start. "See you later."

Sokka nodded at her and walked away. A moment later she heard him loudly interrupting a conversation by asking everyone if they were having a good time. She took a swig of her drink, choked, and spat it back into the cup in disgust. That got Zuko's attention. He swivelled around and looked up at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Thought it was juice," she explained sheepishly.

"It isn't." He turned back around.

"Well, yeah, I…I see that now." She glanced around for somewhere to put the cup, and quickly shoved it behind a potted plant native to the South. In the crowded room, no one noticed. She sidled back up to where Zuko sat, sipping at his own drink. "Can I sit down?"

For some reason, she'd been so confident that he would say yes that his actual answer, a reluctant "if you want," shocked her. Had she misread what was going on? Did he not feel anything for her after all? Maybe she just hadn't heard him properly in the din of the room. With an apologetic smile to the couple on the rug next to them, Katara manoeuvred herself around and down next to Zuko. He didn't move to make her journey any easier, didn't turn to look at her. He just stared into the fire, the light reflecting off his unreadable eyes.

This shattered what was left of Katara's confidence. It felt like she and Zuko were in the eye of a storm; the movement and noise circling around them not affecting the unnatural, awkward silence of where they sat.

"How was the-"

"Katara." Yes, she had definitely missed the way he said her name. She looked back at him hopefully. "Don't. I won't be here for very long, so you don't need to force conversation with me."

"I'm not _forcing_ anything," she answered, stung. She took a breath that was swallowed up in the commotion of the room. "I've missed you."

His eyes flickered towards her but stayed stubbornly fixed on the fire.

"I have," she insisted, leaning closer towards him. "And I'm not ashamed to say it."

"Your boyfriend would be."

Katara stiffened and drew back. In her naïveté she didn't see that the jealousy behind Zuko's words was a good thing, that it showed he still cared about her. She only heard the coldness in his tone.

"Where is he, anyway?" Zuko continued in that same awful voice. "Sokka said he was bringing Toph here. Is that right?" He tilted his head towards her and fixed her with a piercing glare. "Do you trust Aang when he says that, like he stupidly trusts you?"

Katara was at a loss. Zuko had rarely spoken to her like that before. After a moment of staring, wide-eyed, at him, she looked down. She could've argued, could've demanded an apology, but there was truth behind Zuko's words. Aang shouldn't trust her. Especially not now, when she was sitting so close to Zuko she only had to shift slightly to touch him. And somewhere inside her, wrestling with the desire to shove the Fire Lord face first into the fire, was the urge to touch him, to kiss him, to nestle into his chest and have him kiss the top of her head.

"Aang would never hurt me," she said after a minute. She still felt Zuko's eyes burning into her but couldn't bring herself to lift her head.

"Simple and uncomplicated," Zuko muttered, spitting the words out like they were poison. "Just like you always wanted. Tell me," he said, his voice lowering smoothly, "was he worth it?"

Katara looked at him. His eyes were still hard but there was a glimmer of something else in there. She didn't know, would probably never know, that part of the glimmer was Zuko silently pleading with her to tell him that she was happy with Aang, that everything was perfect. That was the only way, so he thought, that he could move on with his life, if he thought that all hope was lost. The other parts of the glimmer was the fear and unhappiness Zuko felt about hearing exactly that.

"He isn't you," Katara answered, and stood up before she had to offer any more explanation. Leaving the eye of the storm and re-entering chaos, she raised her voice. "Try the penguin meat, it's delicious."

Then she left.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Because I want my characters to work for their happy endings. **

**Thank you for your reviews, as always they're very much appreciated. The answers to last week's question (about what Nation receives the most rainfall) were very entertaining to read. They were well thought out and came with geographical explanations, so very impressive stuff. Confirmed that I have very smart readers! (:**

**I accidentally got my mother hooked on Avatar last week. I own all the DVDs, and decided to watch 'The Awakening' because there was bugger all else on. She sits down to watch it with me…SIX HOURS LATER we're almost at the end of the season. She found my disgust in Maiko quite amusing…little does she know I'll be recruiting her to the Zutara ranks sometime soon.**

**Question Ten: would you rather be a guitar or a microphone?**

**Ooh, almost forgot, momothelemur can now be found on LiveJournal! I'll be updating with progress and things on **_**Don't Trust Me**_**, plus anything else I'm working on…thanks to **sparklethedarkx **for becoming my first friend over there. Link can be found on my profile (:**

**Have a great week everyone,**

**- Momo**


	19. A Boy With Bold Ambitions

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

* * *

"I wonder if I may have you the honor of taking you on a walk?" Zuko cleared his throat and tried again. "I would like to do you the pleasure of…." He sighed and trailed off, pinching the bridge of his nose. "No, I can't say that. Do you the honor? No, wait, do _me _the honor." He studied his reflection in the mirror. "Or maybe I should leave out the word honor altogether? Doesn't have the best of memories attached to it. Stupid word." He waited until his frustration with the word had abated before rephrasing the request. "I would appreciate a moment of your time to go on a walk. With me. Through possibly the least scenic place in the entire world."

This was impossible. Last night he had gone to bed firmly believing his self-made promise that he would stay away from Katara and let her live her life without any complications from him. A few hours later he had woken up with the resolution that he would at the very least talk to her. That simple decision had lead to musings about what it would be like to see her smile at him again, to hear her laugh, to remember how it felt to have her lips pressed against his.

After an hour and a half of playing out scenarios in his mind, Zuko decided he had to be some sort of masochist. Why else would he actively seek out the company of someone who had not only rejected him, but showed no signs of ever choosing him? He came to the conclusion that, somehow, his family were to blame. After all, what was the point of having the ultimate dysfunctional family if he couldn't use them as scapegoats from time to time?

* * *

"It's good to be back on old furball," Toph said, leaning back contentedly on Appa's saddle, her eyes closed against the winds that whipped her hair around. "One more day with my mother and I would've lost it. Like, actually lost it, not just Bumi-style eccentrics."

Aang smiled to himself as he steered Appa's reigns to the left. Soon he and Toph would have to don the heavy coats Toph was currently using as a pillow if they wanted to reach the South Pole without hypothermia setting in.

"My dad, too," Toph continued, raising her voice above the whirling winds. "They both got on my nerves."

"At least you're talking to them again," Aang said, offering words that he didn't think Toph would find too consoling. "That's something, right?"

"I guess."

Toph's dismissive, unenthusiastic reply told Aang that it was time to change the subject.

"You looking forward to seeing Katara?" he called back to her. Momo, formerly asleep next to Aang, chattered irritably at being woken up. "Wasn't asking you, buddy," Aang told the lemur, scratching his ears.

"Can't wait," Toph drawled. "From the clutches of one mother straight into another one. How about you?"

Aang hesitated for a fraction of a second too long to go unnoticed. A newly intrigued Toph tilted her head towards him, waiting.

"I can talk to you, right?" Aang asked after a moment.

Toph knew this to be code for 'I'm about to confide in you, don't screw up by repeating it to everyone' and nodded. Being patient certainly wasn't one of her stronger points, so waiting for Twinkletoes to choose his words over the next minute was annoying.

"She…Katara…she's different." Another pause. "Unhappy." Irritation crept into his tone. "And I don't know why, so there's nothing I can do to fix it."

_Interesting,_ Toph noted. _Sounds like Sugar Queen's still moping over her missed train._

Instead of speaking, she nodded in what she hoped was a sage manner. Aang seemed to take this as an indication to continue venting.

"I've tried everything I can think of to cheer her up. I suggested going penguin sledding and holding mass snowball fights and even making some of those sea prunes she likes so much." _For some reason_, Aang added silently, wincing at the memory of the taste that had etched onto his unsuspecting tongue.

Toph sighed. This was going to be a difficult one to phrase tactfully. So, after about a second of deliberation, she decided to go with her usual blunt tactics.

"Twinkletoes, that's kids stuff. It all sounds awesome, don't get me wrong," she added quickly, "but you know what Katara's like. I think she was born mature and responsible and level-headed and stuff." She shrugged. "I guess playing games doesn't really appeal to her anymore."

Aang was very quiet for the remainder of the journey, but Toph didn't worry about if she'd offended him. By her reckoning she'd just given him a lot to think about, and whatever conclusion he came to would decide her course of action over the next few days. Best not to rush him.

* * *

"…just saying, it's _weird_. I mean, why would he want to go on a walk with you?"

Katara rolled over in her bed, trying to block the voice out. She didn't want to know what Sokka was doing this early, nor did she care. Sleep, she cared about.

"Not like there's anything to see anyway." Sokka continued in a grumble. "Ice and snow look pretty much the same no matter how far you walk."

There was a few moments of blissful silence, and Katara thought her brother had gotten the message and left. Then Sokka's finger prodded her head. Twice.

"Hey, sis, you awake?"

Katara pulled the covers over her head.

"_No_, Sokka," she answered, her voice muffled by layers of fur. "I'm not awake. Go away. Go annoy Gran Gran or someone else."

"You're kidding, right? She'd kill me."

Katara groaned. "You think I won't?"

"Nope. Aang's pacifistness has rubbed off on you. I hope."

"_Pacifistness_?" Katara repeated, eyes still tightly shut. "Sokka, at least try and use real-sounding words."

"Yeah, I'll get right on that."

Sokka's sarcastic tone was doing nothing to endear him to Katara. She was about to demand that he leave when he spoke again.

"His Highness wants to go on a walk with you."

Slowly, Katara opened her eyes and lowered the covers. Cold air rushed in around her face and she huddled closer to the furs. A walk didn't sound appealing. A walk with Zuko sounded even less so; the atmosphere would be as frosty as the surroundings.

"He asked me to ask you," Sokka continued, oblivious to his little sister's discomfort, "as if I don't have more important things to do!"

Katara didn't voice the retort that apparently he didn't, otherwise he wouldn't have conveyed the message, and instead sighed.

"Tell him…" she paused to consider. Zuko was actively seeking to spend time with her. As long as that time wasn't spent arguing, she considered it progress. "Tell him I'll be out in fifteen minutes."

* * *

"_Fifteen _minutes?" Zuko repeated incredulously, rubbing his gloved hands together to ensure his fingers didn't suddenly freeze and drop off. He didn't put it past the temperature to be able to do that.

Sokka shrugged. "Hey, man, she's a girl. Just be glad you're not waiting for Suki, she takes _ages_ putting on all her Kyoshi stuff."

Zuko decided to add this to his decidedly short list of things to be grateful for.

"I'm going to wait inside," he informed his friend, who immediately made a strangled noise of indignation. Zuko rolled his eyes. "In the hallway, you idiot, not in her bedroom."

He left Sokka still making little unintelligible noises at the thought of a boy in his little sister's bedroom and entered Katara's home. It was unremarkable in its décor; there was nothing to signify that anyone with any sort of personality lived here. Then again, blocks of ice weren't known for their self-expression.

Still, he felt like an intruder. It seemed only right that he should let Katara know he was in her home, waiting for her. Otherwise she'd leave her room, she him standing there and no doubt leap to the wrong conclusion as she was sometimes apt to do.

Not entirely sure where her bedroom was, Zuko simply followed the muffled sounds of movement, accompanied by the occasional soft curse.

"Katara?" he called, met face to face with her door.

All movement inside ceased.

"Zuko?" Her voice was cautious as though she expected some sort of trickery. "What are you - I thought you were waiting outside."

"I was," Zuko explained with an awkward shrug that he was glad she couldn't see. "It's cold."

"Well it's the South Pole, so yes, it would be."

Zuko smiled at her quip even as his brain berated him for saying such an insipid thing.

"If you're just inviting me out so you can be pointedly cold and indifferent, you can just save it," Katara warned through the door, causing Zuko's smile to drop. "You're mad, I get it."

"If _you're_ just agreeing to come out with me so you can be annoyingly vague and provocative, likewise," Zuko returned before he could stop himself.

There was a pause, and he knew he'd said something dangerous. The only question was if Katara would take it badly or very badly, the difference being whether or not Zuko would be verbally or physically abused.

The door opened with a click, revealing a bemused Waterbender.

"You think I'm provocative?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"You…provoke me," Zuko replied, hoping this was the right thing to say. It was the only thing he could _think_ to say.

After another tense moment, Katara shrugged and began to walk away. Zuko feared she was angry with him, before she turned and gestured for him to follow.

* * *

The young not-quite couple trudged through the town, smiling diplomatically at those they passed and offering greetings to those they knew. At least, Katara smiled and greeted. Zuko inclined his head awkwardly and for the most part didn't make eye contact.

"It isn't like this in the Fire Nation," he told Katara once they had reached the outskirts of the town. "People don't acknowledge me the same way there. I walk past them and some nearly fall over trying to kiss my feet, and the others nearly fall over from fear."

Katara shrugged. "Maybe the Fire Nation is just filled with really clumsy people and you're reading too much into it."

Zuko scoffed, although he couldn't hide his amusement. He could only assume that Katara had done the same thing he had: shoved aside all the tension and animosity of the previous days and weeks and focused only on the few stolen moments they had before reality reared its unwanted head.

"So, why did you ask me to walk with you? I thought you made it clear you didn't want anything to do with me."

Zuko, as ever, had assumed wrong. Evidently Katara had waited until they were out of earshot to begin her questioning. She had stopped walking but Zuko, his mood rapidly decreasing, continued ahead determinedly.

"Did you want to have a long talk about our feelings?" Katara's voice was surprisingly free from bitterness, but held a slightly teasing edge. "One that would end in one or both of us storming off?"

Zuko didn't reply, didn't even turn around until her next sentence,

"I have a better idea."

He paused, half-hoping for possibilities that he hadn't even fully realized yet, and turned, but before he could question her meaning an expertly crafted snowball smacked into his arm. Fragments of snow sprayed onto his face as he looked down in surprise. He lifted his eyes to see Katara forming another snowball. She drew back her arm and prepared to hold it there, but paused to wait for his reaction.

A part of Zuko, a part that was still furious with her, wanted to ask, 'a snowball fight? I think you're confusing me with your child of a boyfriend,' and walk away like the Lord he was.

A much larger part of him had already talked himself into making a snowball and flinging it in Katara's general direction. Katara threw the snow she had already formed and thrust a hand out the moment his own snowball reached her. Zuko's artillery turned against him, until he returned fire, so to speak.

Sensing that this pattern could be repeated for quite some time, Katara grinned.

"No bending?" she asked, holding up both hands in surrender.

"No bending," Zuko agreed. He shot her a superior look. "I'm still going to win, though."

**

* * *

**

A/N:

Hello all, I'm so sorry about the time it took to update. These last few months have been busy to say the least, and I've definitely had better times. So bearing in mind my Woobie status, please still love me.

I'm sorry if this chapter isn't up to standard, I know it's short, but it's going to take a little longer for me to get back into the swing of things I'm afraid. Ah, how real life messes with us all. Wouldn't it be easier to live in the Northern Water Tribe/Narnia/Underground/…pretty much anywhere but here?

Thank you for your reviews, they are, as ever, very much appreciated. Thank you also for your patience.

Anyone a _Labyrinth_ fan? It's my new obsession.

Have a great week or so until I update next,

- Momo


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